Bath-based commercial property developer HPH has invested more than £20,000 installing extra electric vehicle charging points across its estate to meet accelerating demand from tenants.
The firm, which owns and manages an extensive property portfolio across Bath, Wiltshire and Somerset, has also joined the electric car revolution by buying its own Renault Zoe from Platinum Renault in Trowbridge.
Due for delivery early next month, it will enable staff to continue to manage properties in a more environmentally friendly way.
HPH said there had been an increase in requests from tenants for electric charging points across its sites and with the number of electric and hybrid cars and commercial vehicles expected to increase rapidly over the next few years, it had decided to invest £20,000-plus in the project, with a further £6,000 grant from the government’s Office of Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV).
Charging points have now been installed at HPH properties in Bath’s Kingsmead Square and its own car park in Monmouth Place, at Woodland Estate in Westbury, Northlands Industrial Estate in Warminster, Bewley House in Chippenham and Churchward House in Swindon.
Many of these premises now have two ‘dual-docking’ charge points, allowing up to four vehicles to be charged at one time.
The number of registered plug-in vehicles has steadily increased in recent years and now stands at 101,500 across the UK.
Last month’s Queen’s Speech included a proposed Bill to boost the take up of automated and electric vehicles, with a requirement for vehicle charge points to be installed at motorway service stations and large petrol forecourts.
The investment is part of a wider drive by HPH to maximise the environmental credentials of its properties.
Managing director Lindsay Holdoway, pictured, said: “We have been running a plug-in hybrid for nearly two years and installing these electric charging points is a key element of our green agenda which is a component of all of our work and will give our tenants and their employees the ability to move to this technology if they choose.
“We encourage all of our tenants to become active in their contribution to managing their environmental impact and we are confident that the introduction of the dual-docking stations at our premises across the South West will support the existing environmental policy we have in place.”
