Ten new Electric Vehicle (EV) chargers will be installed at car parks in Surrey Heath.
The council Executive approved the plan at its latest meeting, with the bulk of the project cost covered by grant funding. Analysis suggests over the 15-year life of the chargers they will generate a profit of around £250,000.
Four EV chargers will be installed at Knoll Road car park in Camberley, with another six at Theta office building in Frimley. These locations are both owned by the council.
With the growing number of electric vehicle owners, EV chargers are increasingly regarded as a standard feature within car parks and modern office developments. As well as providing convenient charging for EV owners, they generate income through charging for the electricity used, and can increase the rental and/or sales value of a property.
The majority of the funding for the project is from a grant received from the Surrey County Council Empty Homes Fund in 2024. At the time, it was proposed that £60,963 of this grant funding was used to install electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
Updated figures mean the cost of those installations has increased by just over £16,500 (including a 10% contingency), which will be covered from council capital budgets.
Surrey Heath Portfolio Holder for Built Environment and Regulation Cllr Alan Ashbery said:
“This is a positive project to upgrade Electric Vehicle charging facilities at key locations in Surrey Heath, funded mainly through external grants.
“These new EV chargers will help residents and visitors to embrace low carbon transport and cut borough-wide emissions.
“This will help us in delivering our Climate Change Action Plan as well as contributing towards one of our key priorities of protecting our environment.”