A SERVICE station on a major Hampshire road which built an electric vehicle charging hub without permission has filed a retrospective planning application.
The Shell Liphook South Service Station, on the A3 which links the M25 to the A27 at Portsmouth, wants retrospective planning permission for the new electric vehicle (EV) recharging hub to help reduce CO2 emissions.
The service station owners built the EV hub of six EV charging bays, replacing eight existing car parking bays, along with associated infrastructure, such as a cabinet and substation.
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The applicant, Shell UK Oil Products Ltd, is now applying for retrospective planning permission for the changes and said: “The EVC hub provides the opportunity to meet targets for greenhouse gas reduction from road transport, improving air quality standards and increasing the use of alternative fuels by domestic drivers.
“It is hoped that with the provision of additional infrastructure on the highway network, the uptake of electric vehicles will continue to increase with the associated environmental benefits.”
The substation and cabinet are on a small area of grassland to the north of the sales building, plans submitted to East Hampshire District Council showed. The scheme also includes the removal of the former LPG compound and repositioning of the retaining wall along the northern boundary of the site.
The application added the existing petrol filling station remains the same, with changes to car parking arrangements. The air and water bay which is currently next to the customer parking spaces will be moved to a bay currently used as an electric vehicle charging bay.
During the landscaping and building of the new retaining wall, a tree which was removed has been replaced by three trees. Another tree will be planted along the northern boundary of the site, with the site surrounded by Hampshire woodland.
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Initial research by New Automotive published in October 2021, submitted with the plans, estimated the UK will need between 230,000 and 280,000 public charge points by 2035. However, as of 2021, there were 24,000 including more than 4,000 rapid chargers in the UK.
A previous application was withdrawn in September 2022 as the scheme required input from an arboriculturist, who has now approved and inspected the tree planting.
East Hampshire District Council planners have not set a date when they aim to make a decision on the application.
It can be viewed by visiting the East Hampshire District Council online planning portal and searching using reference 29553/039.
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