Making sense of Part S - A Developer’s Guide to EV Charging Regulations
In this guide, the team at Cosmic cover Part S EV-charging rules: requirements, exemptions and best practice for developers.
The UK government flicked the switch on the Part S regulations in June 2022, aiming to turbocharge the rollout of electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure and drive us closer to a net-zero future. These rules aim to future‑proof new and renovated developments by ensuring they either include functioning EV chargepoints or the infrastructure to support them.
All new developments and major renovation projects will have to comply
1. Minimum Requirements for Your EV Charging Starship
Let’s launch into the easy bits first with the basic requirements for the EV charge points;
7 kW minimum power output
Universally compatible, untethered power socket
Smart capabilities; nifty enough to queue charging during off-peak hours to relieve pressure on the national grid. Smart, considerate and better for our national infrastructure! Read more about the SMART charging regulations.
Must be Mode 3, on a dedicated circuit per BS EN IEC 61851, with charging status indicators, all designed and installed under BS 7671 and the IET Code of Practice. Solid standards for a solid performance.
Top Tip: make sure your chargers have a 4G/5G sim capability so that they can communicate even when out of range of the properties Wi-Fi. Many chargers are installed before residents move in and turn on their internet. Having 4G comms allows them to be commissioned properly, so snagging can be undertaken before your customers move in!
2. Laying the Infrastructure Groundwork: Cable Routes for Future Charging Galore
Where local planning and Part S don’t require a charger right away, you must lay the groundwork for its arrival. Here’s how:
Provide cable routes to all parking spaces so future EV charge points can plug in without a hitch.
Ensure routes work for EVs with charging inlets in any location—front, back, or side.
Provide adequate space (spare ways) for electrical connections to a metered supply—think clear runway, minimal friction.
And, of course, you must specify a future connection location in your plans.
3. Why All This Cosmic Planning Matters
By embracing Part S, you're not just meeting requirements, you’re future-proofing your developments with practical, next-gen readiness. Think of your cable routes like crew-ready docking bays, they may sit unused now but will be essential when EVs make their lunar landing.
Your smart, high-power chargepoints won’t just enable convenient EV charging, they’ll be efficient, grid-friendly allies in our mission to decarbonize transport on Earth. Not to mention, they’ll make your development feel galaxy-ahead of the rest.
Top Tip: With search websites like Zoopla now featuring filters for ‘EV Charging’ the perceived value of having an EV charging installed is very real. Consider ‘upselling’ a chargepoint prior to handover where possible. Read more.
4. Exemptions and Special Cases
If costs spiral above £3,600 per socket you may be able to remove those trickier chargers. Check the small print though - this exemption is difficult to evidence.
If your parking is located across the other side of an existing public roadway then you may well have an exemption. If the roadway is new or being held privately this doesn’t apply.
If your bays are internal then as a minimum requirement you may not need to install the chargers but will need all the enabling infrastructure in place.
Top Tip: Your planning requirements may add additional requirements to the minimum standards laid out in Part S. You’ll need to comply with the most stringent of the combined requirements.
Summary
So there you have it -a brief distilled version of the technical specs. Simple. Ish…
We know each project kicks up specific queries each and every time.
Start early
Seek experienced advice
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