Plans for 12 EV chargers to be installed in Colman Road

The 12 new chargers are due to be installed alongside a parade of businesses in Colman Road, but locals have hit back at the scheme saying the work will cause too much disruption.

Opinions are split on the proposed 12 EV chargers planned to go into Colman Road (Image: Google Maps)

One objector to the proposed development, where shops such as Domino's and Papa John's are, said: "I think it would be a real shame to dig up the lovely piece of green.

"Another thing is the fact that this used to be a petrol station and the tanks are still in the ground.

"These will need to be removed and that would cause a headache for both customers and business owners here."

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However there has been support shown for the plans, with one person saying: "There's a real lack of fast EV chargers on this side of the city.

Proposed plans for the EV chargers in Colman Road (Image: Norwich City Council)

"It's an important part of EV adoption that such facilities are available here, where there is lots of on-street parking.

"This being located along the ring road is a real positive for users without causing too much additional traffic, or hassle, for people living nearby."

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Plans to install the chargers were submitted in 2023, but the project has stalled due to “significant complexities” at the site.

A spokeswoman for Osprey, an independent charging network behind the scheme, said it is still in development.

She said: “As a former petrol station this site has significant complexities.

"We have to carefully manage the re-purposing of the land to host rapid charge points, including to meet planning requirements.

"However we can confirm that an Osprey Charging Hub on Colman Road is still in active development."

It added there's support from both the city council and county council to work with local planning authorities to support infrastructure and the council's ambitions to encourage greater use of EVs through the Transport for Norwich Strategy. 

Colman Road, on the outskirts of the city (Image: Newsquest)