Essex car park achieves new Park Access EV status

The Orwell Place car park in Dovercourt, Essex, has become received a new national award for electric vehicle charging facilities.

The Park Access EV award, part of the Safer Parking Scheme, sets standards for car parks that provide safe, well-managed spaces and ensure that EV charging points are easy to use for everyone, regardless of accessibility needs.

Opened by Tendring District Council on the former site of Starlings Garage and the Queens Head Hotel in 2023, Orwell Place is more than just a car park. It is a community event space, hosting seasonal attractions such as a Christmas market and Easter fair. It also provides public car parks.

Cllr Mick Barry, cabinet member for car parks, said the award demonstrates the council’s commitment to accessibility and sustainability.

“We’re delighted that Orwell Place has achieved the Park Access EV award – one of the first car parks in the UK to do so. It shows how serious we are about making our facilities inclusive and future ready.

“Orwell Place is a great example of how we’re combining accessibility with modern features like EV charging to meet the needs of our community. Supporting electric vehicle charging is part of our wider ambition to create a cleaner, greener Tendring, and we’ll keep investing in improvements that benefit residents and visitors alike.

“Parking is something people tell us matters to them, and we’re determined to keep standards high, so our car parks remain safe, welcoming, and well-managed. We’re proud to continue the Householder Parking Permit, giving residents free parking after 11am at most council-run car parks, helping local people and supporting local business.

“This year we also achieved Park Mark accreditation for 30 sites – more than any other district in Essex – which is a fantastic achievement and a credit to our Parking Services team.”

The Park Access EV accreditation enables drivers to identify car parks and EV charging facilities that are safe, well-managed, and accessible for all users.

The award scheme is managed for Police Crime Prevention Initiatives by the British Parking Association. Naomi Parsons, BPA area manager, said: “Orwell Place car park is a very impressive car park which has successfully met all the criteria for Park Mark, including management and operations. This means the car park is also accessible for all users and therefore achieves the standards for the Park Access EV award.”