Hey Newcastle - Are You EV Ready?

Transport has changed significantly in recent years and technology innovations are constantly improving the transport experience. The NSW Government have created the Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Plan which reflects the countries growing focus on future mobility and technology innovations which will modernise transport for the community and businesses across NSW.

The intention of the Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Plan is to maximise the benefits of a transition to more electric and hybrid vehicles for NSW.

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What is the Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Plan?

NSW’s Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Plan reflects Transport for NSW’s growing focus on future mobility and technology. The NSW government and Transport for NSW (TfNSW) have set a vision to reach zero emissions by 2050 and making investments into electric vehicles and services will help reach this goal.

The Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Plan identifies 3 key priority areas:

• Vehicle Availability – Support the promotion, availability and quantity of electric vehicles within the NSW road network.
• Charging Points – Enable the development of additional charging infrastructure across metropolitan and regional NSW.
• Customer Information – Create clear and informative sources that help customers make improved purchasing and usage decisions.

What does this mean for the Building & Construction Industry in Newcastle?

As a result of the Government’s commitment to delivering the objectives of the Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Plan, the City of Newcastle (CoN) Development Control Plans (DCP) has had some amendments to Section 7.03 -Traffic, Parking and Access. These amendments came into effect in November 2022, but CoN are now rolling out these requirements as stipulated conditions to residential development approvals.

If you are responsible for a new development that involves carparking, or residential alterations and additions with an estimated cost of equal to or more than $200,000, you will be required to ensure that your development is considered electric vehicle ready (EV Ready).  

Being EV Ready involves ensuring the installation of appropriate electrical circuitry to allow for future electric vehicle charging points, by pre-wiring.  These controls do not require the installation of a charging point but are encouraged.

In addition to EV Ready, the installation of electric circuitry for a ‘Level 2’ or higher standard electric vehicle charging point is encouraged for new dwelling houses, semi-detached dwellings or dual occupancies.  

Any development application lodged since November 2022, but not yet determined may have these conditions & new controls applied.

To read a more detailed overview of the relevant Planning Controls, please click this link, or feel free to give us a call and chat to one of our experienced Town Planners.

City of Newcastle – Electric Vehicle Parking – Control Requirements

Newcastle Development Control Plan 2012 – Amendment Version 5

7.03 Traffic, Parking and Access

These changes also apply to the provisions of the following listed environmental planning instrument/s also apply to development applications to which this section applies:

• Newcastle Local Environmental Plan 2012
• State Environmental Planning Policy (Transport and Infrastructure) 2021

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Objective: To encourage and support increased usage and demand for electric vehicles.

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1.      Electric circuitry to accommodate ‘Level 2’ or higher standard electric vehicle charging points must be integrated into all off-street car parking of new residential and non-residential development to ensure that 100% of car spaces can install electric vehicle charging points in the future. This must include:

(a) Ensuring adequate electrical capacity and infrastructure (cable size, distribution board size etc.) for the electric vehicle charging point system; and

(b) Providing either buried cables underground or cable trays sufficient to accommodate electric circuitry to each car space(see Figure 1 and Figure 2).

2.      Minimum electric circuitry for a ‘Level 2’electric vehicle charging point, if provided, is required to be:

(a) Privately available spaces: ‘Level 2’ slow– single phase with 7kW power or higher standard; and

(b) Shared spaces: ‘Level 2’ fast –three-phase with 11-22kW power or higher standard.

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3.      In addition to EV Ready, the installation of electric circuitry for a ‘Level 2’ or higher standard electric vehicle charging point is encouraged for new dwelling houses, semi-detached dwellings or dual occupancies.  

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4.      A Development Application is accompanied by a report prepared by a suitably qualified and experienced person (such as an electrical engineer) demonstrating how the development will be EV Ready.  This report should also include an accurate electrical plan, specifications for any off-street car parking and any electric kiosk requirements.    

The following controls apply to new residential accommodation development that involves car parking, excluding dwelling houses, semi-detached dwellings, secondary dwellings or dual occupancies.

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5.      Provide EV Distribution Board(s) of sufficient size to allow connection of all EV Ready connections.

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6.      Locate EV Distribution Board(s) so that no future EV Ready connection will require a cable of more than 50 metres from the parking bay to connect.

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7.      Identify on the plans submitted with the development application, the future installation location of the cable trays from the EV Distribution Board to the car spaces allocated to each dwelling that are provided a Future EV connection, with confirmation of adequacy from a suitably qualified person (such as an electrical engineer).  Spatial allowances are to be made for cable strays and EV Distribution Board(s) when designing in other services.  The following controls also apply to new development that involves car parking, excluding dwelling houses, semi-detached dwellings, secondary dwellings or dual occupancies.

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8.      Development must provide 1 car parking space or 5% of all car parking spaces – whichever is greater - to have a ‘Level 2’ or higher standard electric vehicle charging point installed.  A Development Application is accompanied by a report prepared by a suitably qualified and experienced person (such as an electrical engineer) demonstrating how the development will provide the specified electric vehicle charging point(s). This report should also include an accurate electrical plan, specifications for any off-street car parking and any electric kiosk requirements.  

Note 1: Charging standards are defined by the NSW Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Plan, Future Transport 2056.

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More questions? Get in touch with our team to discuss your Newcastle development.

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