Network of electric vehicle charging sites planned

The proposed electric vehicle charging points will be added on land that is already owned by the county council to prevent delays

A network of on-street electric vehicle charging sites will be installed across Rutland.

The county council has been given government funding of £107,615 for the pilot project, which would see up to 30 new charging points installed across the county.

These would be placed at about 15 proposed locations in Rutland, and a further 144 possible charging points could be installed down the line as part of a larger scheme.

The county council's cabinet approved the plans on Tuesday, with member Christine Wise saying that the project's aim is to increase charging infrastructure in areas that "might not otherwise attract commercial interests".

Wise, a Liberal Democrat, added: "In this way, they will make owning an electric car more viable for people who do not have off-street car parking and also for visitors."

The installations, all on county council land to prevent delays, will begin within the next three to six months, and the aim is to have them all installed within 18 months, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The authority has identified a list of sites where the chargers could potentially go, and the final decision will be made after more technical work and discussions with parish councils.

The proposed sites are:

• Barrowden, two sites identified at Wakerley Road and Main Street

• Caldecott, two sites identified at Lyddington Road and Church Lane

• Cottesmore, Main Street

• Belton in Rutland, Church Street

• Braunston Cedar Street

• Edith Weston, Derwent Avenue

• Empingham, Willoughby Drive

• Great Casteron, Old Great North Road

• Ketton, two sites identified at Manor Green and Empingham Road

• Langham, Well Street

• Lyddington, Main Street

• Manton, St Mary's Road

• Market Overton, Teigh Road

• Morcott, High Street

• North Luffenham, Butt Lane

• Riddlington, Top Road

• Ryhall, Francis Court

• South Luffenham, Stamford Road

• Whissendine, Main Street

• Wing, two sites identified at Glaston Road and Morcott Road

• Oakham, two sites identified Long Row and Braunston Road

• Uppingham, two sites identified at Leicester Road and the Co-op car park

Company Gamma Energy has been awarded the 15-year contract, and has set up a sister company Wenea Midlands to operate the scheme.

It will pay for the maintenance of the sites and also take the revenue generated from them.