Harkalm x Prop Sustainable: Driving £3.2M in Sustainable Investment Through Roadside EV Charging
The Harkalm Group, is a leading commercial property investment and development company specialising in the high street, roadside, supermarket and education sectors. With a focus on adding significant value to both vacant and tenanted properties, The Harkalm Group is celebrating 20 years of success. To date, the company has successfully invested over £400 million, solidifying its position as one of the leading firms in the industry. The Harkalm Group has partnered with Prop Sustainable to advise on portfolio-wide sustainability initiatives, with a focus on commercially viable solutions.
The first phase of this collaboration involved securing leases for 40 ultra-rapid EV charging bays across five key roadside retail sites. Prop Sustainable managed a competitive market tender, securing a subsidiary of a Pan-European utility company as the contracted delivery partner. The £3.2 million project forms part of Harkalm’s broader sustainability strategy, reinforcing their commitment to improving the environmental performance & diversification of their retail and convenience portfolio.
Pictured above: Luke Smith (MD of Prop Sustainable) and Ben Sarner (MD of The Harkalm Group)
Ben Sarner, MD of The Harkalm Group said:
"Working with Luke Smith and the team at Prop Sustainable has been a fantastic experience. Their expertise, strategic approach, and deep understanding of sustainability in real estate have been invaluable in helping us drive forward our decarbonisation strategy. The successful rollout of ultra-rapid EV charging bays is a testament to their market knowledge and ability to deliver commercially viable solutions. We look forward to continuing our partnership as we expand our sustainability initiatives across our portfolio."
Despite the typically smaller footprint of roadside retail and convenience stores, Harkalm has prioritised decarbonisation, with solar PV playing a central role in its multi-let convenience development on Speedwell Road, Bristol.
Building on this success, Prop Sustainable recently brought further EV lease opportunities across Harkalm's pipeline to market, focusing on securing a robust and reliable delivery partner to expand the UK's public charging infrastructure.
Luke Smith, MD of Prop Sustainable, said:
"It’s a pleasure to work with Ben, Charles, and the wider Harkalm team. They are a key client and strong supporters of our business. Their approach is disciplined, reliable, and a great example of best practice in the real estate sector."
Prop Sustainable is one of the UK’s leading EV infrastructure advisories and was recently included in the RICS valuation guides. In Q4 2024, the firm advised on projects covering the equivalent of 11% of all public EV charging in the UK. Their services also include advisory on solar PV, wind, and battery energy storage systems (BESS).
