Bexley Council's Planning Committee has approved the installation of a substation and ancillary cabinets to support electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure at Hall Place car park.
The decision, made on Thursday 23 July 2026, grants permission for the substation and associated equipment to be located on a grass verge within the car park. The EV charging points themselves and the parking spaces have already been established under permitted development rights, confirmed as lawful development under application reference 25/02250/LDCP.
During the meeting, councillors heard that the proposed structures would be modest in scale, not exceeding 2.7 metres in height. The equipment would be sited within the car park, away from the main heritage assets of Hall Place, which is a Scheduled Monument and Grade I listed building.
Concerns were raised by objectors regarding the loss of parking spaces and the impact on the historic setting of Hall Place. However, officers noted that the net loss of six parking spaces would represent less than 2% of the car park's total provision and that the development would not materially harm the openness of the Metropolitan Green Belt.
The proposal also includes landscaping to screen the equipment and soften its appearance. The installation of the substation and cabinets is considered necessary to support the operation of the lawful EV charging facilities.
Further details regarding the meeting and its decisions can be found in the Public reports pack and the Decisions document from the meeting held on 23 July 2026.
