Could electric cars spell the end of Britain’s front gardens?

Electric cars pose a threat to Britain’s front gardens as owners pave over them to install charging points, a leading environmentalist warned.

Craig Bennett, of the Wildlife Trusts, said swathes of lawn could be lost due to a dearth of on-street charging points meaning e-car owners feel the need to put in their own.

Urban gardens encourage wildlife, cool down cities and prevent flooding by soaking up water during heavy rain – so Mr Bennett has called on councils to install more communal on-street charging points instead.

 Electric cars pose a threat to Britain’s front gardens as owners pave over them to install charging points, he warned (Stock Image)

Speaking at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival, the former head of Friends of the Earth said: ‘Sadly what we are seeing is people converting their front gardens to put parking spaces in for electric cars. 

‘If they didn’t have [a parking space] before, they are creating one to put in a charging point. Let’s keep these beautiful front gardens and let’s keep them wild.’

Research by the Royal Horticultural Society in 2015 found a quarter of all houses had paved over front gardens, with the trend initially taking off for petrol and diesel cars and escalating since. 

Mr Bennett added: ‘Local authorities should recognise it’s in everyone’s interest to put in good on-street infrastructure and Government needs to think about that, and perhaps give tax breaks to put in charging points.’