Work has begun on Be.EV’s £4m Manchester Charging Oasis in Failsworth.
The site was once home to a petrol station – left derelict for 15 years. In its new guise as a state-of-the-art EV forecourt and community hub, it will offer 12 ultra-rapid charging bays capable of delivering up to 300kW as well as four waiting bays for drivers who are queuing for the chargers. The site will also have a new Caffè Nero Express.
The project forms a key part of Failsworth’s ongoing regeneration. Failsworth itself forms part of the ‘Northern Gateway’, one of the six key growth zones outlined in Greater Manchester’s 10-year industrial strategy, and has been undergoing an extensive transformation in recent years.
This includes an affordable housing scheme, apartments for retirees and a solar farm development at Wrigley Head.
The Manchester Charging Oasis is one of the key transport developments contributing to this regeneration. Located on a key commuter route between Manchester and Oldham, the new site is expected to serve over 26,000 daily commuters.
The site has undergone a comprehensive decontamination process, removing old petrol tanks and restoring the soil to safe, sustainable conditions. As such, it is now officially certified as a green site by Manchester City Council, making it one of the first former petrol stations in the UK to be repurposed for clean energy use – a blueprint for converting disused urban sites into assets for the green transition.
Asif Ghafoor, CEO of Be.EV, says: “Be.EV are on a mission to improve community access to EV charging and, with the Manchester Charging Oasis, we are putting our money where our mouth is. This once-derelict site is set to become a key transport feature of the community – a thriving hub buzzing with activity.
“We’re incredibly proud to be at the heart of Failsworth’s transformation.”
