Wiltshire residents lose simplified EV charger planning rules

Summarised from 4 outlets · Updated 19 Oct, 06:56 · Archive

A last-minute exemption means Wiltshire's thousands of conservation-area residents will not benefit from simplified planning rules for pavement EV chargers from October 2026.

From October 21, 2026, most homes in England without driveways will be able to install an electric vehicle charger with a cable channel running through the pavement without making a separate planning application, provided their council has authorised such a scheme.

However, a last-minute change has exempted conservation areas from this simplified process. Wiltshire has 89 conservation areas, the highest number of any county in England, meaning thousands of residents in areas including Swindon and Marlborough will be unable to take advantage of the new rules.

Under the standard new system, residents without off-street parking will make one planning application covering both the charger installation and the pavement cable channel. In conservation areas, residents will still need to apply twice: once for the charger itself, then again for cables running across, under or through the pavement.

The exemption for conservation areas reflects concerns about preserving the character of historically significant locations. The decision means that Wiltshire residents in these protected areas face a more burdensome process than those elsewhere in England.

Wiltshire residents considering an EV charger installation should contact their local authority before proceeding. They will need to establish whether their property lies within a conservation area and whether their council has approved a suitable pavement-channel scheme. Those affected should plan accordingly, as the simplified rules will not apply to them.

How it is being reported

• Thousands could miss out on simpler EV charger rules after last-minute changeThousands of Wiltshire residents may miss out on simpler planning rules for electric vehicle chargers.Gazette & Herald · 19 Oct, 05:53
• Thousands could miss out on simpler EV charger rules after last-minute changeThousands of Wiltshire residents may miss out on simpler planning rules for electric vehicle chargers.Wiltshire Times · 19 Oct, 05:53
• Thousands could miss out on simpler EV charger rules after last-minute changeThousands of Wiltshire residents may miss out on simpler planning rules for electric vehicle chargers.Swindon Advertiser · 19 Oct, 05:53
• Thousands could miss out on simpler EV charger rules after last-minute changeThousands of Wiltshire residents may miss out on simpler planning rules for electric vehicle chargers.This Is Wiltshire · 19 Oct, 05:53

In this story: Wiltshire · Swindon · Marlborough · England

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