Call for electric vehicle charging sites across rural areas

The number of battery electric vehicles and plug in hybrid vehicles registered in the Harborough district is steadily increasing, creating a demand for more EV charging points. 

Parish councils, community groups and organisations are encouraged to come forward if they think they may have a suitable site for EV chargers. The sites must be accessible to the public (preferably 24/7) and have access to the electricity grid. The applicant must be the site owner or have permission from the owner. 

Installation of the EV charging points will be funded by the council. The ownership will then be handed over to successful organisations to maintain and operate.

This is an ideal opportunity for areas where there are no public EV chargers nearby, where there are a lot of houses with on street parking and therefore can’t have domestic EV chargers, areas with passing traffic or destination locations such as community sports clubs.  

There are many benefits to having EV chargers installed, including income generation from the chargers for community groups, and offering a direct benefit to residents with electric cars with the addition of a useful asset to an existing facility. EV charging facilities can also bring an economic boost to a village or area by encouraging people to spend money whilst they wait for their vehicle to charge. 

The addition of an EV charging point may also encourage residents to purchase electric vehicles instead of petrol or diesel cars, bringing environmental benefits for everyone.

Interested groups are invited to complete an expression of interest form in the first instance at www.harborough.gov.uk/evc-survey

Cllr Darren Woodiwiss, Harborough District Council’s Cabinet lead for Environmental and Climate Change, said: “The installation of EV charge points in rural areas of the Harborough district is a step in the right direction towards a more sustainable and eco-friendly future. We are committed to making EV charging accessible to all.”

The council has allocated funding from their share of the UK Government’s Rural England Prosperity Fund towards this project. The Rural England Prosperity Fund is a top-up to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. 

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a central pillar of the UK government’s Levelling Up agenda and provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025. The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills. For more information, visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-shared-prosperity-fund-prospectus