Posted: Thu 29th Jun 2023

Tesco created electric vehicle charging point at Pontypool store without permission

news.wales / newyddion.cymru
This article is old - Published: Thursday, Jun 29th, 2023

Supermarket giant Tesco put an electric vehicle charging point in the car park of a Gwent store 18 months before it applied for planning permission. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The charging point, as well flagpoles avertising the charger and an LCD display showing how to use it, have been in place at the car park of the Pontypool store since November 2021, with work to install them having started in September that year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

But the firm, which expects to make between £1.4 to £1.8 billion operating profit this year, hadn’t obtained planning permission. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

It only put in the application, which cost £920 in total fees, to Torfaen Borough Council in March this year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The retrospective application was then approved earlier this month by the planning department which said: “The structures are limited in their appearance and are appropriate within the existing car park setting.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The charger is located in a parking bay in the car park near to the entrance of its Lower Bridge Street store. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The council also granted advertising consent to the firm which said in its application the work had been “part of roll out project to install EV charges across Tesco stores in UK”. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Tesco did not respond to request for comment. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

By BBC LDRS ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​



Spotted something? Got a story? Email News@News.Wales



More from Torfaen Council

Gwent’s Newest Welsh Medium School Sees Enrollment Grow From 3 to 20

Torfaen Council

Householder Told “Six Foot” Fence in Garden Must Go

Torfaen Council

Welsh Councils Express Concerns Over Elimination of For-Profit Care Homes

Torfaen Council

Concern Raised Over Disabled Child Unable to Access Science Block Without Lift

Torfaen Council

Reducing number of children in residential care to address Gwent council’s projected overspend

Torfaen Council

£2.5 Million Requested for Second MRI Scanner at Gwent’s Grange Hospital

Torfaen Council

Latest from News.Wales

Gin Distillery and B&B Scheme Turned Down by Pembrokeshire Planners

Pembrokeshire Council

River Pollution Poses Major Threat to Housing Developments and Economic Prosperity in Powys, Warns Councilors

Powys Council

Gwent’s Newest Welsh Medium School Sees Enrollment Grow From 3 to 20

Torfaen Council

Surgeons at New Neath Port Talbot Theatres Not Yet at Full Capacity

Swansea Council

Council Cleansing Teams Praised for Making a Real Difference in Swansea

Swansea Council

Almost Every Pupil in Monmouthshire Achieves GCSE in Welsh Second Language

Monmouthshire Council