Homeowners in England no longer need planning permission to install cross-pavement EV chargers, under permitted development rights that came into force on 21 October 20261. The Department for Transport said the change would save drivers up to £300 on installation and open up home charging for as little as 2p per mile1.
The rights cover chargers that run under pavements from a home to a car parked on the street, using gully channels embedded in the pavement to remove trip hazards from trailing cables2. The government estimates the change could save households up to £300 in installation costs2. It also said changes to permitted development rights will make it quicker and cheaper for charge point operators to install larger, higher-powered public EV charging hubs1.
The change does not remove every hurdle. Installations still need authorisation from the relevant highway authority, and street works permissions may also apply2. The rights are subject to restrictions, including exclusions for certain protected sites and properties2. The government has not set out in these pages which sites and properties are excluded.
"From today, people no longer need planning permission to install cross-pavement EV chargers."
The move also removes an obstacle to the government's £25 million Pavement Channels Grant, launched in 2025 to help local authorities install pavement channels for residents without off-street parking; under the previous rules, planning permission could be required before households qualified for support2. The Department for Transport cited September 2026 electric car sales up 36% in a year, with nearly 100,000 sold in a single month, and said the Electric Car Grant has helped over 190,000 drivers save up to £3,750 off a new EV1.
Vicky Edmonds, chief executive of EVA England, said the change "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"1. She cited research finding that 60% of petrol and diesel drivers without off-street parking would never consider an EV1.
Why it matters for households
For a home without a driveway, charging has usually meant relying on public charge points. A cross-pavement channel lets a car parked on the street draw from the home supply, which the government says can bring running cost savings of up to £1,750 and charging at as little as 2p per mile1. That shifts a household's motoring energy spend onto its domestic electricity supply, where it can be paired with a home charge point and, where present, rooftop solar. The planning change removes one cost and delay from the process, but the highway authority's authorisation remains a separate gate, so timing will vary by council. Households weighing up whether a cross-pavement arrangement is feasible can read our guide to charging an EV without a driveway, and the Pavement Channels Grant explains the local authority funding route.
What happens next
The government has launched two consultations, open for responses until 16 December 20261. One covers amending the building regulations on EV charging infrastructure, with the possibility that charge points would be required in new and refurbished covered car parks1. The other covers expanding charging access for tenants and leaseholders, including clear guidance for landlords and consideration of mandatory requirements making it harder for landlords and freeholders to refuse renters' applications1.