An eco-hub providing rapid charging for electric vehicles is being planned near Blandford.

The hub is being proposed by Naturalis, a joint venture between renewable energy companies REG Power Management and Falck Renewables.
Given that the Government aims to stop all sales of new vehicles using fossil fuels by 2030, far more charging points are needed in Dorset. Many homes do not have a driveway to be able to charge vehicles and this will prove a growing problem if the scant availability of public charging points continues.

However critics of the plan, which would see ‘superfast’ chargers installed at a site just off the A354 near Winterborne Whitechurch, say they wonder why a site has been chosen ‘in the middle of nowhere’.

One EV driver said: “It’s one thing to park at Tesco and have a browse around the supermarket while charging your car, but to have to drive out of town to charge your car where there’s nothing to do would make it a bit of a deal- breaker for me. Maybe they could open a coffee shop there – or a barber’s!”

However, the reasoning behind the location becomes clear when you consider it is hoped to use green electric from a nearby solar array to power the chargers, making it a win-win for the environment.
Naturalis is inviting public comments before it submits a formal planning application to Dorset Council.

Matt Partridge, development director for the project, said: “Electric cars have a vital role to play in the transition towards a more sustainable, low-carbon society, particularly where they can be powered by clean energy. The Blandford Hill Eco Hub combines modern electric vehicle charging with clean energy from a new solar farm “next door” and batteries to store power and balance supply and demand.

“This is an innovative and exciting project that will provide a modern charging hub for aspiring EV drivers and help avoid so-called ‘range anxiety’. The site is well suited to this development and would plug a regional gap in charging infrastructure. A five-fold increase in the rate of installation of chargers will be required to allow the rapid roll- out of electric driving.”

The proposed site is about 1⁄4 of a mile north-east of the village. It is currently used for arable farming. Excess power from the solar farm would be fed into the local electricity network at Winterborne Kingston substation, with all cabling underground.

Mr Patridge added: “At the eco hub, around 12 electric vehicles at a time would be charged with green electricity, generated on-site by the proposed solar farm and stored in batteries when necessary.”

The project team were set to hold a briefing online on Thursday, March 4 between 5.30pm and 7pm. If you have an early copy of the NBV there may still be time to attend and meet the project team, provide feedback and ask any questions they may have.

If you’ve missed it, head to blandfordhillecohub.co.uk where a recording of the event will be uploaded.

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