The Cabinet considered a report of the Interim Executive Director (Growth and Housing) presenting the feedback from the public consultation on a draft Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) for Electric Vehicles Charging Infrastructure Requirements in New Developments.

Resolved:

1. That the feedback from the public consultation set out in the submitted report and the summary table attached at appendix 1, be noted.

2. That the Electric Vehicles Charging Infrastructure Requirements in New Development Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) to guide the new developments and development management decisions (attached at Appendix 2 to the report), be adopted.

3. That the Interim Policy Guidance for Electric Vehicles Charging Infrastructure Requirements in New Developments, attached at Appendix 3 to the report, be deleted upon formal adoption of the Electric Vehicles Charging Infrastructure Requirements in the New Development Supplementary Planning Document (SPD). 

Reasons for decision:

To ensure the timely roll out of EV charging infrastructure to keep pace with new development in the Borough. Future proofing new development through the provision of EV charging points and passive provision of cabling will avoid expensive retrofitting to adapt for the use of electric vehicles as EV use becomes more widespread as is expected.

Other Options:

The Council has set an ambitious target to be carbon zero by 2030. The SPD sets out a clear approach to boosting the provision of charging infrastructure for electric vehicles in the Borough as new development comes forward. A failure to act now would result in such infrastructure coming forward at a much slower pace. Not having an adopted SPD in place for electric charging points would also risk the Council incurring costs in attempting to defend refusals of planning permission based on an outdated policy framework and related evidence base.

Note: This is an Executive Function

Eligible for call-in to: Place Scrutiny Committee

Cabinet Member: Cllr Mulroney