By Ian Austin, Director and Head of Utilities, Energy & Infrastructure
“As the drive to double the size of Scotland’s Electric Vehicle (EV) charging network becomes more pressing, there are significant opportunities for landowners”, says Ian Austin, Director and Head of Utilities, Energy & Infrastructure at Davidson & Robertson.
The UK government published its ‘Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution’ in November 2020, which outlines the key approaches to reaching net zero. As part of this, the sale of petrol and diesel only vehicles are to be banned by 2030 and all new cars and vans are to be 100% zero emissions by 2035.
These ambitious targets will require a substantial increase in the delivery of charge Electric Vehicle (EV) charge points, with plans to increase the size of Scotland’s electric vehicle charging network by 200% over the next four years.
This presents an immediate opportunity for those landowners adjacent to arterial roads to offer small areas of ground to EV charging firms for the installation of EV charging points on a lease basis. Davidson & Robertson are aware operators are looking for land both adjacent to existing service stations, and new land that presents an opportunity to bridge this gap.
The suitability of sites will depend primarily on location and traffic flow. Generally, a site with good access from an arterial road with large volumes of traffic is preferable. However, rural landowners may still be able to exploit the opportunity in areas that see high levels of tourism, and destination shopping traffic.
Operators are offering long-term leases to landowners, and include a base rent and/or a profit share rent depending on proposed volume and use. As with all commercial leases, we strongly encourage clients to seek professional advice before entering any contracts to ensure it is right for you and your business.
D&R has a dedicated team to negotiating and delivering successful outcomes for land/site owners.
For more information contact Ian Austin or Stuart Lobb on 0131 449 6212 or email IA@drrural.co.uk
