Comment

Representation ID: 21206

Received: 11/10/2021

Respondent: Taylor Wimpey

Agent: Avison Young

Policy TRAN8 – Planning for Low Emission Vehicles

This policy seeks to ensure that new developments include adequate provision for charging infrastructure e.g. electric vehicle charging points in car parks, measures to encourage LEV use through travel plans and other initiatives.

Our Client supports the provision of electric vehicle charging points in principle, but has significant concerns about the practicalities of delivery, in light of wider infrastructure constraints. The additional loading created by car charging infrastructure is significant and it is essential that the Black Country Authorities liaise with electricity providers as part of the Black Country Plan process so that the implications in terms of network capacity can be understood and planned for. It cannot be left to individual developers to pick up the cost of what could be multi-million-pound upgrades to the Black Country’s electricity infrastructure.

It will also be important for the policy wording to maintain some flexibility so that in cases where the provision of such infrastructure would make a scheme unviable, an exception can be made.