EV charging points rejected due to protected trees

The four EV points were planned for the Booths car park in Settle

Plans to build electric vehicle (EV) charging points in a supermarket car park have been rejected due to fears they would damage “high-quality” trees.

North Yorkshire Council refused planning permission for the four points at Booths in Settle, stating they could damage the roots of two protected and mature trees.

The council’s tree officer said planting at the site had matured to form a “valuable green buffer” of mixed deciduous trees and shrubs between the main road and the supermarket car park.

He said: “The trees are protected by virtue of the conservation area and provide high amenity along Kirkgate and within the Booths car park area.”

The application for 160kW rapid charging points, a substation and feeder cabinet was submitted by InstaVolt Ltd and supported by Settle Town Council.

Two of the charging stations would have been built on the existing car park however, the rest would have been installed on green land planted when the supermarket was built in the early 2000s.

Local Democracy Reporting Service, the officer said two mature trees, a beech and sycamore, could be damaged by the proposals as well as a maple tree.

A separate North Yorkshire Council officer said the authority had asked for amendments so there would be no adverse impact on the trees, but no agreement was reached with the developer to address the concerns.

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