Delivering Ultra-Fast Charging in Cheltenham

Partnering with local government to deliver ultra-fast EV charging infrastructure.

Cheltenham Borough Council’s EV charging infrastructure is a critical part of the town’s transition to electric mobility. Through a fully funded partnership model, The EV Network (EVN) was selected to develop, deliver and operate two ultra-fast charging hubs in central Cheltenham.

Local authorities sit at the centre of the UK’s EV transition. They manage public land, shape planning policy and are directly accountable to residents.

Cheltenham Borough Council identified several underutilised car parks where public EV charging could help improve access for drivers without off-street parking. Which is a common challenge in historic towns with dense housing and limited private driveway.

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Overview

• Location: Cheltenham Bath Terrace & St James’
• Programme: March 2025 – February 2026
• Client: Cheltenham Borough Council
• Scope: 2 town-centre sites, 10 ultra-fast charging bays

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Delivering Cheltenham EV Charging Infrastructure

Cheltenham is a historic spa town with dense housing, limited off-street parking, and a distinct lack of EV charging. Which for many residents means installing home charging is not feasible.

Despite there being specific terms and conditions to adhere to, the Council’s objective was clear:

• Increase access to reliable public EV charging
• Activate centrally located land assets
• Deliver long-term infrastructure without direct capital outlay

Therefore, EVN set out to carry:

• Full feasibility assessments including site quality and access surveys
• Grid capacity and connection feasibility
• Planning review and land constraints
• Long-term commercial viability

This assessment identified two of the five allocated sites viable for ultra-fast charging. Rather than requiring public capital expenditure, EVN structured the project on a fully funded basis, taking long-term leases and taking on the responsibility for delivery, operations and maintenance.

This allowed the Council to accelerate infrastructure rollout, avoid upfront capitals costs (CAPEX), retain strategic land ownership, and generate long-term revenue from council-owned assets.

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EVN’s Role

EVN delivered a fully funded, end-to-end infrastructure solution, including structuring the project to remove upfront capital requirements for the Council while retaining long-term public land ownership.

As infrastructure investor and asset owner, EVN assumed responsibility for funding, development and lifecycle management of the site, including:

• Bid response and commercial structuring
• Long-term funding and asset ownership
• Lease negotiation and legal management
• Grid assessment and power acquisition
• Planning coordination and stakeholder engagement
• Design and construction
• Ongoing service and maintenance

This model enables local authorities to accelerate EV infrastructure rollout without deploying public capital, while benefiting from long-term revenue generation and managed infrastructure assets.

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The Solution

Bath Terrace – Phase One

• 5 ultra-fast chargers
• 5 charging bays
• Delivered within a live, high footfall car park

Bath Terrace sits close to Cheltenham’s high street and operates as a pay-and-display facility. Delivering construction in a constrained, high foot-fall environment required careful coordination and stakeholder management. While these constraints required careful coordination, the site was delivered in only five weeks, with clear traffic management and safety controls throughout to ensure there were no disruptions for the wider Cheltenham community.

To support smooth operations even further, ANPR technology and tailored parking controls were introduced to align charging dwell time with council parking policies and ensure efficient bay turnover.

St James’ – Phase Two

• 5 ultra-fast chargers
• 5 charging bays
• Completion scheduled for early 2026

The second site of this project strengthens coverage across the town centre, creating a resilient network of public ultra-fast charging with land managed by council.

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The Outcome

Since launch, the Bath Terrace hub has experienced steady growth in charging activity, with increasing session volumes and returning drivers. This reflects clear local demand for reliable, rapid public charging.

The project delivered:

• Increased ultra-fast public charging in central Cheltenham
• Greater accessibility for residents without home charging
• Activation of underutilised council land
• Additional revenue streams aligned to long-term sustainability goals
• Support for local high-street businesses through increased dwell time

By positioning ultra-fast charging close to shops, cafes and services, the Council has linked transport decarbonisation with economic activity.

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A Collaborative Approach

Working with a proactive and forward-thinking local authority has been central to the project’s success. Open communication, clear governance and shared long-term ambition enabled efficient delivery from bid stage through to live operation.

This partnership demonstrates how Cheltenham Borough Council EV charging infrastructure was delivered through collaboration between local government and private infrastructure providers, unlocking land and accelerating EV adoption at scale.

EVN continues to work with local authorities across the UK to fund, develop and operate high-quality charging assets that serve residents, strengthen local economies and support the transition to electric mobility.

If you’re a local authority, landowner or strategic partner looking to explore how to unlock land for EV infrastructure speak to one of our experts to understand how we structure, fund and deliver sites at scale.