Ridge led an appeal against Cotswold District Council’s decision to refuse an application for the redevelopment existing haulage scrap yard, and haulage depot to create an electric car charging service station and associated works at Scrap Haulage Yard, Fosseway, Lower Slaughter. The approved service station, which comprised 102 charging points, is larger than any existing or planned charging facility in the UK and will also be one of the largest in Europe.
The planning team at Ridge formed a robust case which addressed the following issues
- Whether the proposal constituted sustainable development
- Effect of the proposal upon the AONB
- Effect of the proposal upon the safety and users of the highway
- Whether the proposal complied with national and local policy.
The planning team at Ridge demonstrated that it is the Government’s mission to put the UK at the forefront of the design and manufacturing of electric vehicles, stating their intention to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2040. Furthermore, the Government’s ambition is that the UK should have one of the best and most comprehensive charging networks in the world. The Inspector agreed with the conclusions reached by Ridge that against this background, the provision of public charging points in the south west is currently at a very low level. It was concluded that the location of the appeal site was ideal for the proposal; half way between the M4 and M40, and the urban areas of Warwick, Stratford-on-Avon and Swindon.
