Bellway is making it easier for homebuyers to have an electric car in Ebbsfleet and surrounding communities. As part of their works to bring 233 new homes to Ebbsfleet Cross, off Tiltman Avenue in Greenhithe, 182 properties at Alkerden Heights, off Castle Hill, Ebbsfleet, and a further 532 homes at Harbour Village in Northfleet, is providing electric vehicle charging points for almost all these homes, so that new residents are already set up to keep and charge an electric vehicle at home.
Being able to charge an electric vehicle is rising up the priority list for house-hunters in the area, with the planned extension of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) this summer. From 29 August the zone is set to increase from the existing area within the North and South Circular Roads to cover all London boroughs, in a bid to reduce air pollution and improve public health.
Emma Hamlett, Sales Director for Bellway Thames Gateway, which is building homes at Ebbsfleet Cross at Garden City and Harbour Village, said: “While the expansion of the ULEZ zone does not come as far as Ebbsfleet, we are finding that many of our customers here are still considering the impact of the changes for them.
“With a wider area around the capital being included in the zone, people living in Ebbsfleet may find that journeys into London that they used to do without incurring a charge will now cost them £12.50 a day, if their vehicle does not meet the emission standards.
“More and more customers have got or are looking to get an electric vehicle, so we are glad to be able to tell them that if they purchase a property here, it will be straight-forward for them to charge it at home.”
For people living in Ebbsfleet who need to travel into the ULEZ zone but have vehicles which don’t meet the emissions standard, the provision of quick and easy public transport into the capital is a further attraction of the new homes at Ebbsfleet Garden City.
Mark Harrop, Sales Director at Bellway Kent, which is building homes at Alkerden Heights, said: “We realise that it’s not necessarily an option for everyone to buy an electric vehicle, so as well as the provision of electric vehicle charging points, alternative sustainable travel options are a key element of our vision for the new homes we’re building. Fewer emissions-heavy vehicles on the streets make the area a more pleasant and healthy place to live for everyone.
“The plans for Ebbsfleet Garden City include upgraded Fastrack bus services linking to key local destinations, while there are train services into the capital from nearby Ebbsfleet International and Swanscombe railway stations.
“By making it easier for people to have electric cars or use public transport, the new homes we are building enable residents to make greener choices which are better for their local environment and health, as well as for the planet.”
More information can be found at https://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/kent/alkerden-heights, https://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/thames-gateway/ebbsfleet-cross-at-garden-city or https://www.bellwaylondon.co.uk/new-homes/thames-gateway/harbour-village
Image credits: Bellway