New rule for all houses with driveways in England 'now in effect'

The government has introduced a UK driveway rule alteration which commenced this summer.

The Labour Party administration has eliminated planning permission requirements for EV chargers.

Installing electric vehicle (EV) charging points at residences, commercial premises, and public sites has become simpler this summer - following a Government decision to abolish planning application requirements.

Revealed by Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood, the modifications are now active and are designed to speed up the deployment of EV infrastructure by eliminating bureaucratic obstacles.

Property owners with driveways, alongside businesses and local authorities, will now benefit from faster, more cost-effective installation of charging points, with the alteration anticipated to increase the number of charging locations, supporting the Government's objective of 300,000 public chargers by 2030, reports Birmingham Live.

"We're reducing paperwork to energise the EV revolution," said Greenwood.

"Drivers and businesses will have more charge points and less red tape."

Industry experts praised the reform.

Jack Cousens of the AA described it as "a positive step" but emphasised the necessity for prompt grid connections, particularly in rural regions.

RAC's Rod Dennis commented: "Removing the need for planning permission will help lower the barrier to home charging – a key factor in making EVs more affordable."

Lewis Gardiner from Osprey Charging declared that scrapping planning regulations for substations would "save months of delays," whilst bosses from InstaVolt, Sainsbury's Smart Charge, and Chargy hailed the decision as a significant boost to investor confidence and electric vehicle uptake.

The public charging infrastructure has expanded by 28% over the past year, with almost 17,000 new devices installed since April 2024.

Government subsidies of up to £350 continue to be accessible for qualifying households fitting home charging points.

Cousens, The AA's head of roads policy, previously stated: "With a target of 300,000 publicly available chargers by 2030, Government should be doing all it can to help reach this milestone.

"Removing the planning rules is a positive step and will help accelerate installations. The crucial element is ensuring grid connection in a timely manner. This is especially important in rural locations and areas where there is no dedicated off-street parking."