Planning permission is no longer required to install electric vehicles chargers, which run under pavements from people's homes to their cars, the Government has announced.

The move should save drivers up to £300 on installation and give more people access to cheaper at-home charging, which the Department for Transport (DfT) estimates could add up to savings of up to £1,750 on running costs.

In December 2024, the Government published guidance on cross-pavement EV charging, which noted two main types of solution: cable channels embedded within the pavement or permanent under pavement cables. Now, the latter does not require planning permission.

However, some form of authorisation by the local highway authority does still appear necessary.

Under the Town and Country Planning statutory instrument 'the installation, alteration or replacement of a cross-pavement solution by, on behalf of, or with the authorisation of, a highway authority' is now a 'permitted development'.

It adds that a cross-pavement solution 'means a pavement-embedded cable channel that allows a cable for the recharging of electric vehicles to safely cross a footway from a domestic premises to a parked vehicle'.

Vicky Edmonds, CEO of EVA England, added: ‘This might look like a small planning change, but for someone without a driveway, it could make the difference between being able to afford an electric car and ruling one out altogether. Removing the need for planning permission for cross-pavement charging is a really welcome and meaningful step towards a fairer transition.

‘Our research found that 60% of petrol and diesel drivers without off-street parking would never consider an EV. Being able to connect a car parked on the street to cheaper home electricity could help change that.  It's now up to local authorities and landlords to make these solutions easier to access in practice.'

Dickson Abegunde, director of strategic partnerships at Zoopla, commented: ‘For buyers considering an electric vehicle, access to charging can be an important factor when choosing a home. Zoopla was proud to be the first property website to help buyers discover nearby on-street chargers and search for homes with EV charging facilities.

‘The Government's decision to remove planning permission requirements for qualifying cross pavement charging solutions is another welcome step towards making EV ownership more accessible, particularly for households without off-street parking.'

Updates to permitted development rights will also make it quicker and cheaper for commercial charge point operators to install larger, higher-powered public charging hubs as well.

These changes follow a ‘record-breaking' month for electric car sales in the UK, which has increased by 36% in a year.

The Government has also launched two consultations that examine how to make home charging easier and ensure new buildings are equipped with chargers.

Other options being considered include clearer guidance for landlords on ‘how to handle the process' of providing at-home charging for tenants or leaseholders, along with mandatory requirements for landlords and freeholders to make it harder to refuse renters' applications.