Policy shift for cross-pavement chargers
The UK Government has introduced new permitted development rights that remove the need for separate planning permission when homeowners install cross-pavement EV charging solutions in England. These changes target the long-standing barrier faced by the four in ten UK households without off-street parking.
Who stands to gain
Drivers who park on the street have often paid up to ten times more for public charging than home rates. The reform lets them run a cable through a pavement channel or gully, removing trip hazards and opening access to cheaper domestic electricity. Vicky Edmonds, CEO of EVA England, said: "This is great news for drivers without a driveway, making it simpler, quicker and fairer for them to charge an EV at home". She added that street parkers "should not face unnecessary extra hurdles just to access the cheaper and more convenient charging available to people with driveways".
We have previously covered Ofgem's work on letting drivers use home EV tariffs on public chargers, another step aimed at the same charging divide.
Local councils still decide
Highway permissions and street-works approvals remain mandatory, so installation is not automatic. James Court, Public Policy Director at Octopus Electric Vehicles, noted: "Removing planning permission for cross-pavement charging is a sensible step and will cut an unnecessary bit of red tape for drivers without a driveway. But it doesn’t solve the bigger problem. Councils will still decide whether these installations can go ahead, leaving us with a postcode lottery where one council enables cheap home charging".
Practical next steps
Anyone considering an installation should check their local authority’s highway rules first. For broader energy options that support EV use, see our gas and electricity comparison tools. The policy applies only in England and does not alter electrical safety or insurance requirements.
