Dutch chargepoint operator Fastned is to build a huge 36-bay EV charging hub in Ealing, West London, with a slated opening date of early 2027.
The Hanger Lane Hub, as it will be known, will be the largest such facility in the capital. Sitting just off the A406 North Circular Road, it will offer ultra-rapid charging facilities shielded by what Fastned calls ‘solar trees’ – essentially canopy roofs with photovoltaic panels – plus a retail space, restroom facilities, outdoor seating and a children’s playground.
The project is a collaboration between Fastned and Transport for London’s (TfL) property company, Places for London, with the two working together under the name ‘Fast Places’.
TfL owns the land on which the hub will be built, while Places for London is named as the leaseholder. Between them, they will pay Ealing Council £50,000 as compensation for trees that need to be felled for the project to go ahead under the CAVAT scheme (Capital Asset Value for Amenity Trees), alongside £1,232 to help fund local air quality improvements.
A sum of £22,800 will also be given to the council so a nearby footpath can be resurfaced.
The land being developed was previously used by TfL as an informal car park, though it ceased fulfilling even this purpose in 2021 and has been vacant ever since.
Mete Coban, Deputy Mayor of London for environment and energy, highlighted that the city’s 27,900 charging points represent a third of the UK’s total number of public socket, adding: “Working with partners like Fastned, we can continue to grow our network and support many more Londoners”.
Tom Hurst, Fastned’s UK country director commented: “In a city where space often limits charging at home or at commercial depots, the Hanger Lane site will help close a critical gap, keeping London moving as the transition to electric gathers pace.”
