Instavolt has reported that the EV charging hub at Three Maids Hill is progressing and expected to open this year. An original date of June 2025 for the EV hub was quoted.

Facilities provided as well as EV charging

But the company has just announced that there will be a coffee shop franchised by Starbucks for this site: we are told that the site will support 14 jobs, and will be open in the Spring 2025.

So maybe the EV hub will open at the same time? Good news- there will also be toilets and a playground.

But how do employees get to work? Is driving there the only safe option?

There is a bus stop on the Andover Road. I asked for an improved, safer route from the nearby bus stops to the site itself, and a clear cycle route so that employees wouldn’t have to drive /be driven there and could use the public transport safely. So far, there’s no interest in this from Instavolt, but as there are several businesses in this area emerging, including Acorn Energy, I’ll be trying again to establish safe biking and pedestrian routes, albeit not part of the planning permission.

Why wasn’t this insisted upon at the Planning stage?

Although WCC give permission for these sites, it is Hampshire County Council which manages the Highways/Transport responses to applications . Despite my requests, the County did not insist on safe non-car routes to this growing employment area, which in my view, was a sorely missed opportunity. In their defence, national legislation didn’t help: it doesn’t insist on non car methods of travel.

I’ll keep trying!

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