Cross-pavement EV charging has become a lot easier with the Government confirming homeowners will now no longer need planning permission to install it.
Previously a home improvement upgrade that required planning approval, cross-pavement charging means those homes without driveways or off-street parking can more easily own an electric car.
And, relaxing the red tape means millions of properties will now be able to benefit from domestic electricity rates to charge vehicles, rather than having to find and use a dedicated EV charging station.
Approval from local authorities will still be required
Although the planning permission fee will now be waived for anyone looking to install a cross-pavement solutions such as a cable gully, homeowners won't simply be able to start the work when they choose, or lay a cable across the pavement from their car to their home.
Local authorities, in particular the highways department, will still need to sign off the proposed work.
Nonetheless, with rising fuel prices, removing the extra cost will make owning an electric vehicle more accessible. And, as Homebuilding & Renovating reported earlier this year, the changes will bring cross-pavement charging more in line with the current permitted development rules for installing an EV charger on your home or garage.
Total cost-savings could amount to thousands
Owning an electric car is becoming increasingly common in the UK, with the change in rules following a record electric car sales month in September 2026, where nearly 100,000 electric car sales were registered.
Buses and Local Transport Minister Simon Lightwood said: "We’re saving drivers up to £300 off the cost of installing home charging by cutting unnecessary red tape.
"The EV transition is in full swing – sales are up 36% on last year and over 190,000 have saved thousands making the switch in the last year alone."
According to the Government, cross-pavement charging means those residents who use it will also access cheaper domestic electricity prices, helping them make savings of up to £1,750 on running costs per year.
Vicky Edmonds, CEO OF EVA England welcomed the plans, saying: "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," she said. "It’s now up to local authorities and landlords to make these solutions easier to access in practice."
Being able to include EV charger in your sales details could also add value to your home and improve the chance of selling it, said Dickson Abegunde, director of strategic partnerships at Zoopla – the first property website to help buyers search for homes with EV charging.
Additional consultations planned for EV charging
As well as scrapping planning permission, a further two consultations have been launched to look at additional ways of making EV home charging easier, and whether mandatory requirements are needed for landlords and freeholders to make it harder to refuse tenant applications for an EV charger.
The closing date for these consultation is set as 16 December 2026, meaning even more news could be on the way regarding changes to the current guidelines.
