Garston residents have shared their disappointment after their campaign to prevent the installation of electric vehicle (EV) chargers was overruled.
In the application, submitted to Watford Borough Council (WBC) on September 14, LEAP24 relayed its intention to demolish a former council garage site on St Albans Road and install three charging points.
The 24/7 ultra-rapid chargers are aimed at commercial EVs travelling long distances on the M1 and M25.
Residents have shared their concerns that this will bring heavy vehicles onto an already congested road around the clock.
One resident, who wishes to remain anonymous, fears that the foundations of her house, which is more than a century old, could be impacted by the inevitable stream of heavy goods vehicles driving along the road.
This resident also anticipates significant light pollution as the chargers are lit 24/7.
The resident spoke on behalf of the community at a committee meeting which took place on December 7. The resident was given five minutes to express locals’ fierce opposition to the plans.
However, councillors voted to approve the plans.
The resident said: “WBC doesn’t care since they profit financially from the deal.
“People don’t realise how serious this is. The chargers are 6ft high, lit 24/7 and developers will have to dig deep into the earth to instal them. It will be five weeks of disturbance followed by vehicles weighing as much as three tonnes thundering past our homes all day and night.”
Work to install the chargers will begin in May.
Another thing the council didn’t listen to the residents about, they put their arguments to the council about these chargers and the heavy vehicles 24/7 but yet again the council have not listened or cared .