UK scraps planning permission for cross-pavement EV charging gullies

The UK government has removed the planning permission requirement for cross-pavement EV charging gullies, the channels that let drivers run a cable from a home wallbox to a car parked at the kerbside without blocking the pavement. The change, announced by buses and local transport minister Simon Lightwood, is intended to cut what he called "unnecessary red tape" and could save motorists £300 when installing a wallbox.

What the change means for drivers

A cross-pavement gully is created by carving out a section of the paved surface deep enough to run the charging cable through without creating a trip hazard. Until now, that work required planning permission, a hurdle that made home charging impractical for households without a driveway.

The government estimates the removal of the requirement could save drivers £300 on a wallbox installation. It also makes switching to an electric car more feasible for the more than nine million UK households, out of 27 million, that lack off-street parking or the potential to create it, according to the RAC.

When the change takes effect

The sources do not specify an implementation date for the removal of the planning requirement. The government has not announced when the new rules will apply, so drivers should check with their local authority before arranging installation work.

Industry reaction and the road ahead

Vicky Edmonds, head of the Electric Vehicle Association England, called the move a "meaningful step towards a fairer transition". A 2025 survey of 1,668 drivers conducted by the lobby group found that 60% of petrol and diesel owners without off-street parking would never consider an EV.

Edmonds added that "it's now up to local authorities and landlords to make these solutions easier to access in practice". The sources do not state whether councils or landlords will be required to install gullies, and no such obligation has been announced.

Supporting measures and consultations

The planning change follows the government's £25 million grant scheme set up last year to support cross-pavement charging solutions. Two new consultations have also been launched: one aimed at making home charging easier and another intended to ensure newbuild homes are fitted with a charging solution.

The government is additionally considering updating building regulations so that new or refurbished covered car parks must offer public EV chargers. These proposals remain under consultation and are not yet confirmed policy.

GWM has announced a multi-year sponsorship of the Parramatta Eels' NRL and NRLW teams, part of the Chinese brand's effort to lift its market share in New South Wales and climb from seventh into Australia's top five automotive brands.

The deal was framed by GWM chief operating officer John Kett around a shared ambition: "For Parramatta, the goal is premiership number five. For GWM, our immediate goal is to become Australia's number five automotive brand. Different scoreboards, but the same ambition to keep climbing," he said in a statement.

Why NSW is the target

Kett told CarExpert the Eels sponsorship is a key part of GWM's push up the sales ladder, with a longer-term ambition to become a top-three brand. The company's national share sits close to five per cent, but in New South Wales it is 3.8 per cent, and that is the country's biggest market.

"We certainly have got a regional focus here in New South Wales. It's probably a market that our brand underperforms relative to the rest of Australia, and it's the highest opportunity," Kett said. GWM said even a small increase in NSW share could deliver a substantial sales boost, with Kett noting that picking up one per cent of New South Wales leaves "a lot of cars sitting there for us".

That gap is the story here. A brand that is near five per cent nationally but below four in the largest state has more room to grow in NSW than anywhere else, so the sponsorship reads as a marketing spend aimed at a specific sales problem rather than a general brand-building exercise.

What the Eels bring

Roy Morgan research released in September 2026 found the Parramatta Eels are the second-most supported Sydney-based NRL club, behind the BYD-sponsored Sydney Roosters. The club reported record membership in 2025 despite finishing 15th of 17 teams in 2024 and 11th in 2025, and it finished 13th in 2026.

On the field, the Eels last won a premiership in 1986 and a minor premiership in 2005, with their most recent grand final appearance a 28-12 loss to Penrith in 2022. The club's NRLW team, formed in 2021, finished runner-up in 2022, losing the grand final 32-12 to Newcastle in its best season to date, and finished eighth of 11 teams in 2026.

GWM joins German apparel brand Adidas as a new Eels sponsor. Parramatta chairman Matthew Beach told members last Friday that having two global brands invest in the club was "a strong endorsement of our vision" and reinforced its position as one of Australia's most recognisable and commercially attractive sporting brands.

The Roosters link is hard to ignore: GWM is backing the club that Roy Morgan ranks behind a rival already sponsored by another Chinese car maker. Sponsoring the second-most supported Sydney NRL club puts GWM in front of a large, concentrated audience in the state it most wants to grow.

What has not been announced

GWM has not disclosed the length of the deal beyond describing it as multi-year, nor its financial value, and no figure has been made public. The sponsorship has also not been tied to any specific vehicle, model launch or consumer promotion; the sources describe it only as a sponsorship of the Eels' NRL and NRLW teams.

For buyers, the practical effect is likely to be visibility rather than anything on the car itself. A sponsorship of this kind raises the brand's profile in Sydney and western Sydney, but it does not change showroom prices, model lines or warranty terms, and none of those were part of the announcement.