PLANS for eight electric vehicle charging points at a petrol station on the outskirts of Welshpool have been given the go-ahead by Powys planners.

Back in March, Rontec Service Stations who run Welshpool Service Station at Buttington Cross just off the A483 lodged a planning application with Powys County Council for the EV charging bays and associated infrastructure to go with them.

The charging bays will be covered by a canopy which would be 3.5 metres high and installed in place of the existing parking spaces there.

Vacuum cleaning machines would also be located alongside the charging points.

The shop at the petrol station and the McDonald’s fast food restaurant at the site will not be affected by the proposal.

Welshpool Town Council supported the application when it was discussed at a meeting in March.

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Powys council senior planning officer Kate Bowen said:  “Planning Policy Wales states that the planning system should encourage and support the provision of new Ultra Low Emission Vehicles (ULEV) charging points.”

Mrs Bowen explained that under the policy the ULEV charging points “must not cause” an obstruction to walking and cycling.

The charges should also be “resistant” to vandalism and be place where there is “good lighting and natural surveillance.”

Mrs Bowen said: “The development provides electric car charging points to support the use of ULEV in a location that forms part of an existing car park.

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“The site is covered by natural surveillance from the other users of the car park but also the nearby highways and industrial commercial units.

“The principle of development is therefore supported.”

Mrs Bowen added that there are no alterations to the existing access to the car parking area or loss of car parking bays that were “secured” in the original planning permission for the petrol station.

Due to this Mrs Bowen recommended giving the proposal conditional consent.

Last year the Tuffins shop at the site closed and was re-opened as a Morrisons Daily to be run in conjunction with Rontec.

Rontec operate 266 roadside retail forecourts across England and Wales under the Esso, BP, and Shell brands.

Convenience stores at the Rontec sites are by Morrisons Daily, Shop’N Drive and Spar.

At the end of January, it was announced that Morrisons had agreed that Motor Fuel Group can buy 337 Morrisons petrol forecourts as well as 400 sites to develop EV charging.

But the Welshpool service station was unaffected by the announcement.