Department for Transport Consultation Response: EV Charge Points in Residential and Non-residential Buildings
From July – October 2019, the UK Government consulted on proposals to introduce new building regulations, in England, which would mandate charge point infrastructure in new homes, new nonresidential buildings, and when some buildings are renovated. The Government has reflected on the diverse consultation responses and has decided to introduce new measures requiring:
- Every new home, including those created from a change of use, with associated parking within the site boundary to have an electric vehicle charge point;
- Residential buildings undergoing major renovation, which will have more than 10 parking spaces within the site boundary after the renovation is complete, to have at least one electric vehicle charge point for each dwelling with associated parking within the site boundary and cable routes in all spaces without charge points;
- All new non-residential buildings, with more than 10 parking spaces within the site boundary of the building, to have a minimum of one charge point and in addition to this, cable routes for one in five of the total number of spaces;
- All non-residential buildings, undergoing a major renovation, which will have more than 10 parking spaces within the site boundary after the renovation is complete, to have a minimum of one charge point and in addition to this, cable routes for one in five spaces.
The response document also details the Government’s final policies on exemptions and technical details, such as charge point standards. The Government will not introduce the proposed requirement for one charge point in all existing non-residential properties with more than 20 parking spaces. We believe a more tailored approach is needed for existing non-residential properties and therefore we will work to introduce an alternative policy.
These decisions are in line with the majority of respondents who were supportive of the Government’s proposals. We have reflected carefully on the comments made by respondents and have made several changes to the details of our proposed policies and the associated Approved Document and Impact Assessments. The Approved Document will be published alongside the regulations later this year.
The Government has faced delays in publishing this response due to the coronavirus pandemic and the need to ensure our final policies: reflect a full consideration of diverse consultation responses; are appropriate and enforceable; and meet Government ambitions. Despite this delay, we do not believe that there has been a material change in circumstances to warrant re-consultation and that the policies should be introduced as set out. Overall, the Government believes these new measures are a vital step towards decarbonising England’s transport system and will pave the way for the mass transition to zero emission vehicles.
We would like to thank all stakeholders for their time taken in responding to this consultation.
Read the full document, originally published by the Department for Transport.
