After a planning inspector pulled the plug last year on a developer’s scheme for an electric vehicle charging site at Newbridge, new proposals for four marked parking bays on the land have now been brought forward.
May Lane in Newbridge
Zest Eco, which is backed by the government’s Charging Infrastructure Investment Fund, had appealed to the Secretary of State to try to secure permission for four EV charging bays in May Lane, a private road off Evelyn Road.
The company had accused Bath & North East Somerset Council of “falling short” of its duties after four times delaying a decision on whether to permit the commercial site at the end of the lane where it joins Evelyn Road.
The freehold land had been sold at auction in 2024 for £12,500.
People living nearby raised objections to the proposals, saying the narrow lane is unsuitable for such use, and is well used by pedestrians, cyclists and dog walkers. It was flagged up that the lane is an access to and from seven homes and some lock-up garages, there was no lighting, and charging bays being used round the clock could impact on local residents.
B&NES Council planners told the inspector that had a recommendation been made, it would have been to refuse permission due to concerns about the impact on a public right of way and the lack of information about biodiversity net gain (BNG).
Although the inspector considered that users of the public right of way would not be put at an “unacceptable level of additional risk” he said a lot of key information had not been provided including whether the layout design took account of the fact that charging ports appear on both sides of vehicles, whether commercial vans would be allowed to use it; the estimated level of use and whether drivers would need to wait with their cars.
The inspector also queried whether external lighting would be needed, what level of noise would be generated and whether refuse vehicles use the lane. Regarding biodiversity, he was critical of the report provided by the developer, saying “its content comes nowhere near addressing the minimum information requirements”.
Now Zest Eco has submitted plans to B&NES Council for a row of four parking bays. A planning statement with the application says: “The proposed development is modest in scale and seeks to make more effective use of land that is currently underutilised and overgrown.”
It says providing formalised parking bays will:
- Improve the organisation and usability of the site
- Support existing residential and garage access along May Lane; and
- Deliver a safe and clearly defined parking arrangement without harm to highway safety, visual amenity or neighbouring uses.
Regarding BNG, the report says the proposed development will result in vegetation clearance and that achieving the mandatory minimum 10% biodiversity net gain is unlikely to be feasible on site.
“The applicant recognises that any biodiversity shortfall will need to be addressed through an appropriate off-site biodiversity gain solution, secured in accordance with current legislation and agreed with the local planning authority.”
The planning reference is 25/04868/FUL. The deadline for comments is 28th January.
