This page provides information and guidance regarding Electric Vehicle (EV) charging points. It includes guidance on:
- When planning permission is required; and
- Other considerations such as licences and building regulations.
Do I need planning permission?
Off-street parking such as a driveway or garage
In most cases, you do not need planning permission to install a home EV charger. This is only if you meet certain conditions however.
Legislation makes it easier for homeowners and businesses to install charging points. This is under Permitted Development Rights.
To find out about this, please visit our web page:
The Planning Portal have published some guidance on EV charging points:
Planning Portal - advice on electric vehicle chargers
Not all properties benefit from permitted development rights. You need to check your property before starting any works. Please visit the permitted development web page for more information.
If the property benefits from permitted development rights, please visit the below web page. It sets out what works can be completed without planning permission:
Permitted development for electric vehicle chargers
On-street parking
Permitted development rights do not extend to on-street parking. The Local Planning Authority recommend that you make a planning application for an electric vehicle charging point if you do not have off-street parking.
However, Cornwall Council encourages residents to make the switch to electric vehicles. The Local Planning Authority will not regard it as expedient under current legislation to take enforcement action if certain criteria are met. You can find out what 'not expedient' means on our Planning Enforcement investigation web page.
You must meet all of the points below:
- the property has been granted a S178 licence by the Local Highway Authority. This is to use an approved cross-footway charging solution for the safe carriage of an electrice vehicle charging cable across the pavement.
- the electrical outlet must not be used until the approved cross-footway charging solution has been installed. The cross footway solution must not be a temporary solution. Cable covers or mats placed on top of a cable are not acceptable.
- the electrical outlet and its casing does not overhang the highway or pavement by more than 100 mm. This includes any cable plug when plugged into the unit.
- comply with the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (as amended) (GDPO).
At present the criteria you need to meet in the GDPO are:
For an electrical outlet mounted on a wall for recharging electric vehicles (Schedule 2, Part 2, Class D), the outlet and its casing:
- do not exceed 0.2 cubic metres
- are not within a site designated as a scheduled monument or
- are not within the curtilage of a listed building.
If a future change in policy means the 'not expedient' position is reviewed, we will notify you.
Licences
Please note if you use on-street parking you should not trail a cable across the pavement. You will need a licence from Cornwall Council to install an EV channel. Information about this process can be found on the apply to install an EV charging channel web page.
Apply to install an EV charging channel
Building Regulations
Building regulation approval is required in all cases.