Plans for Europe’s largest electric vehicle charging center in Edinburgh have been unveiled

Property developer Shelborn Asset Management has unveiled plans to Edinburgh City Council for a new 800,000 sq ft sustainability-focused office that will feature Europe’s largest car charging hub, providing capacity for up to 800 electric vehicles (EVs).

The developers said that the charging points will be available to both office workers and members of the public. The plans call for an initial 170 EV points to be installed, with the potential for a further 595 at the existing site, which includes Drummond House and the Junior Building in Edinburgh Park.

Dubbed Edinburgh Green, the proposed development will also include a café and event space, as well as a nine-acre landscaped public park.

Developers have hailed the plans as a “game changer” in green building development, promising they will set new standards and redefine what modern, sustainable office accommodation can look like.

The EV points, which will be available to the public in the evenings and at weekends, will form part of a wider transport mobility hub, including access to the car club, public transport links and cycle parking. According to the developers, it will be the largest in Europe, overtaking The Energy Superhub in Oxford, which is currently the largest with plans for around 450 outlets.

Developers Shelborn Asset Management bought the site and existing buildings from NatWest Group in 2021. They said they intend to create a “new type of workplace” focused on wellbeing and sustainability in response to a significant shift in occupier priorities, as well as Edinburgh’s transition to zero emissions.

Brian Rabinowitz, director of Shelborn, said the plans to build Europe’s largest electric vehicle charging center are in line with the company’s overall ambition to achieve zero net emissions by 2030.

“Sustainability will be at the heart of this development, which promises to be a game-changer, transforming the perception of what an office workspace should look like,” he said.

“As the Edinburgh market continues to grow post-pandemic, public and private sector residents are demanding better workspaces that give their employees better places to work.”

Plans have now been submitted to Edinburgh City Council and, subject to approval, work is expected to start on site in the summer of 2023, with the project expected to be completed in 2026.