Regulation 19 Rutland Local Plan
Facilitating a Transition to Net-zero Carbon Lifestyles
Rutland's emissions come from a variety of sectors and activities. The Local Plan can influence many of these to a varying extent, but not to the full extent that would ensure a transition to net zero carbon across the whole plan area. National policy, sectoral practices, technological advance, and individual behaviours will also shape the carbon outcomes.
What will the policy do?
Policy CC13 - Provision for Electric Vehicle charging and Electric Bike parking Comment
All applications that include provision of parking spaces will be required to meet the requirements set out in Building Regulations Part S (or successor). The location of charging points in development proposals should be appropriately located to allow for easy and convenient access from the charge point to the parking space/s, and be designed and located in a way which:
- minimises the intrusion of the charge point on the wider use and access of the land;
- minimises the risk of vehicle collision with the charge point; and
- has ease of access for maintenance and replacement of electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
Proposals that include electric vehicle parking provision that exceeds or improves on the requirements set by Building Regulations will be supported. Examples of how these might be exceeded include:
- proposing a higher ratio of charging points to parking spaces than the ratio required by Building Regulations, especially in non-residential development;
- proposing active charging points in types of parking that are currently not required by Building Regulations to have a charge point;
- proposing to provide or fund electric charging points for existing public parking expected to be used by the development's occupants or visitors;
- proposing chargers that have vehicle-to-grid capacity;
- proposing some points that provide a faster charge than the standard set by Building Regulations, especially in any parking spaces expected to be used for short visits such as retail, medical, leisure, or similar;
- proposing charging points that are powered by solar pv panels either freestanding or on the associated building.
In addition, appropriate provision should be made for secure and covered parking for mobility scooters and bicycles (including e-bikes) which are large and heavy to bring into premises.
Why is this policy needed?
Transport is the largest source of CO2 emissions in the UK. This is mostly due to road transport, where small increases in fuel efficiency have been cancelled out by an increase in mileage. Transport emissions have remained fairly similar in recent years, in contrast to other sectors where emissions have decreased. A switch to electric vehicles is underway and by 2035 it is projected that 50% of all cars on the road will be EVs. The national ban on new diesel and petrol cars from 2030 will help, but existing cars will remain in use long after that. Nevertheless, it is beyond doubt that we are at the start of the transition away from fossil fuel combustion engines to electric vehicles, a process which may have almost come to its conclusion by the end date of this Local Plan.
With such monumental change on the horizon, it is imperative that the built environment be ready. In December 2021, the Building Regulations were updated with a new Part S being added which addresses Infrastructure for charging electric vehicles. These regulations came into effect in June 2022 and require the provision of charging points in both residential and non-residential developments, with specific levels of requirements set out for uses, not for every parking space to be provided with a charging point.
As a result of these new Building Regulations, Policy CC13 does not seek the basic provision of electric vehicle charging points, but, given that we will all be expected to drive electric vehicles in the not-too-distant future, it seeks to ensure that the location of electric vehicle charging points to be well situated to ensure that they will be readily accessible to future users.
It also seeks to acknowledge the benefits brought by any development proposals that include an enhanced electric vehicle charging provision (beyond the minimum standard required by Building Regulations Part S) to strategically facilitate wider uptake of electric vehicles. For example, Part S only requires chargers of a minimum 7kW; although this meets the industry definition of 'fast' charging (7 – 23kW) this typically would take 3-4 hours to charge a small electric car. As an improvement on this, 'rapid' chargers (43kW supply or more) enable a meaningful amount of battery charge to be achieved at short-stay parking, forming a potentially vital steppingstone for long-distance electric vehicle trips and a lifeline for drivers who do not have guaranteed access to charging at home or at work. Appendix 5 of the Local Plan sets out the Electric Vehicle charging requirements for categories of commercial development. In addition to the requirements set out in this policy, permitted development rights (where planning permission is not required) also exist for EV charge points, including in off-street public and private car parking areas.
Vehicle-to-grid capacity is also noted as an optional enhancement in charger provision because this function is thought to have potential to support the transition to a smarter and more flexible electrical grid needed by the UK's future renewable-heavy energy system. This function could enable electric vehicles to play an 'energy storage' role in the grid, with potential additional benefits for the EV owner in the ability to sell energy back to the grid at times of peak grid demand (having previously charged the car at a time of low grid demand and excess renewable generation).
