A service station on a major route through Hampshire which built an electric vehicle charging hub without permission is now asking the local council if it can stay.

The Shell Liphook South Service Station, on the A3 which joins the M25 near London to the A27 at Portsmouth on the south coast, wants retrospective planning permission for the new electric vehicle (EV) recharging hub to help reduce CO2 emissions.

The service station owners built the EV hub made up of six electric vehicle charging bays, replacing eight existing car parking bays, along with associated infrastructure, such as a cabinet and substation.

The applicant, Shell UK Oil Products Ltd, is now applying for retrospective planning permission for the changes and said: “The EVC hub provides the opportunity to meet targets for greenhouse gas reduction from road transport, improving air quality standards and increasing the use of alternative fuels by domestic drivers.

“It is hoped that with the provision of additional infrastructure on the highway network, the uptake of electric vehicles will continue to increase with the associated environmental benefits.”

The substation and cabinet are on a small area of grassland to the north of the sales building, plans submitted to East Hampshire District Council showed.

The scheme also includes the removal of the former LPG compound and repositioning of the retaining wall along the northern boundary of the site.

The application added the existing petrol filling station remains the same, with changes to car parking arrangements.

The air and water bay which is currently next to the customer parking spaces will be moved to a bay currently used as an electric vehicle charging bay.

During the landscaping and building of the new retaining wall, a tree which was removed has been replaced by three trees. Another tree will be planted along the northern boundary of the site.