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05 May 2026

Be.EV starts on site to deliver 131 new EV charging bays across Schroders Capital’s retail and leisure assets ...

Be.EV has broken ground on a £12.5m capital investment programme to deliver its award-winning EV charging hubs across 16 Schroders retail and leisure parks.  

Holland Market Retail Park, Spalding is forecast to be the first site to go live in July 2026, with a further 12 destinations projected for completion by the end of 2026. Three will follow in 2027 once power upgrades have been completed. 

The majority of the locations are in the South, South East, Midlands and the South West, key target areas for a business which has recently tripled its UK footprint through its acquisition of MERs UK public charging network.  

These include destinations in Bedford, Brighton, Chelmsford, Colchester, Eastbourne, Letchworth, Milton Keynes, Romford, Ruislip, Southampton and Swindon.  

Be.EV has committed to deliver a total of 131 new EV charging points, with most sites benefitting from at least eight bays. The hubs are renowned for their accessibility, ease of operation, ultra-rapid speeds and reliability, leading to their recent award as the UKs 2nd top-rated rapid and ultra-rapid charging network as voted by drivers (Zapmap). 

For Schroders, the partnership sees high performance charging added to their destinations with no capital exposure for the fund, the creation of a long term indexed linked income flow, and guaranteed generation of additional footfall onto site for the benefit of their retailers. 

Be.EV has committed to a programme which ensures minimal disruption to sites, which invariably involves higher costs to the charge point operator. At St.John’s Retail Park in Bedford for example, an expensive cabling route was taken to mitigate works near to Lidl.  

Sustainability also sits at the heart of Be.EV’s principles, and its recycling of materials policy and Biodiversity Net Gain commitments which were so prevalent at the award-winning Manchester Charging Oasis are being replicated on this portfolio.

The Be.EV/Schroders partnership was created as a mutually beneficial relationship to support the UK’s broader policy to achieve net zero emissions by 2030, recognising the importance of strategic retail destinations in providing EV charging for drivers.

Asif Ghafoor, CEO of Be.EV, says: “Retail sites are a key piece of the UK’s expanding EV charging network. They provide drivers with a charging location that easily fits into their daily routine. The retail parks benefit from a new tenant who doesn’t take up floor space and attract new customers who might have otherwise not visited the site.  

We’ve got a wealth of experience installing at retail parks and take great pains to minimise any disruption to visitors and businesses alike. The biggest change has been the Government removing key planning blockers allowing us to meet the flood of demand in recent months for ultra-rapid charging.” 

Matthew Baddeley, Lead Asset Manager at Schroders Capital, added: “Strengthening the UK’s electric charging network is essential for convincing the public to make the switch to EVs, whilst also aligning with our own net zero targets. Be.EV's offering is highly compelling, and we look forward to welcoming them to the Schroders Capital’s retail warehouse portfolio." 

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