Say hello to the new headliner at Knebworth
Construction is now underway at the new Stevenage Electric Forecourt® tucked in beside the Knebworth House Estate – Britain’s largest music venue which has hosted rock and roll icons such as the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Queen, Oasis and Robbie Williams.
Drum roll please…
The development, which was approved by Stevenage Borough Council is located near junction seven off the A1(M) and conveniently placed for passing motorway traffic. It will provide visitors, festivalgoers, staff and local communities around the historic estate and in the wider Hertfordshire area the confidence to go electric.
Stevenage Electric Forecourt® features and facilities
- 34 Medium and High Power electric vehicle chargers
- Supplied by 100% net zero carbon energy
- Lounge area with free superfast Wi-Fi
- Leading UK retail offering
- Children’s play area
- EV educational space
- Pedestrian friendly and fully accessible
- Biodiversity net gain for low-grade arable land
Our checklist
Once construction starts, the site will be screened by the A1(M) to the east and by large areas of existing woodland to the north, south and west. It’s also not visible from Norton Green.
Working with Knebworth House, impact events will be minimised as much as possible to enable visiting to continue.
An Ecological Appraisal and your feedback prompted us to plant 57 native trees to improve the on-site ecology.
Any noise from the development will not be heard beyond local areas to ensure peace and quiet for Novotel guests and residents who stay nearby.
As this is a historic site we will be building with what’s called a ‘watching brief’ so if anything important is discovered during construction it will be safely preserved.
How every Electric Forecourt® is developed
Using proprietary geodata, we identify areas of the UK that are most in need of electric vehicle charging infrastructure, then commission a variety of research and put together a community consultation for residents, government stakeholders and business owners in the area.
After this, we collate all community feedback, make design changes that add value and continue monitoring any impacts on traffic, noise, and ecology. Then a full planning application is submitted to the local council for consideration and approval.
Once planning permission is given, we begin construction, building sustainably with biofuel powered generators and, where possible, using the local supply chain, while always trying to mitigate any disruption to the area.
With our electric vehicle chargers installed, local staff recruited and retail partners open for business, the filling station of the future is then ready to serve the area with affordable, dependable sustainable energy.
Frequently asked questions
GRIDSERVE is delighted that planning consent has been granted for the above site. Gaining planning is just one stage of the development process. The site and layout for the development will now be subject to a detailed design stage to finalise the layout for construction.
Construction is now underway and is scheduled to open in late 2024.
You are welcome to flick us an email at connect@gridserve.com with the subject line Stevenage. We will endeavour to answer your questions as quickly as possible.
Yes, the site does include a solar canopy which generates energy to power the retail building, we feed in larger amounts of solar power through grid connections to power the chargers on site with 100% renewable, net zero carbon energy.
Yes, we are planning on including a retail and convenience offering to ensure our customers have the best possible dwell time experience. While your car is charging you can enjoy great coffee, yummy food and of course a lounge area to relax in.