Approved document S Infrastructure for the charging of electric vehicles

Approved Document S: infrastructure for charging electric vehicles, was published by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 15 December 2021. It provides technical guidance regarding the installation of charge points required by Part S of the Building Regulations.

Part S of the Building Regulations requires that certain buildings with associated parking must have access to electric vehicle charge points.

Very broadly, for new residential developments, a charge point is required for each parking space, with some exceptions. Where no associated parking spaces are provided, there is no requirement to instal a charge point.For non-residential developments with more than 10 parking spaces, one space must have access to a charge point, and cable routes must be provided to 20% of the other spaces. The charge points need to provide a minimum of 7kW to an untethered charger.

It sets an average cost cap of £3,600 for all work involved in installing a charge point. If the cost exceeds this, only the cable routes themselves need to be installed. Where the cost of is more than 7% of the total cost of a major renovation, there is no requirement to instal either electric vehicle charge points, or the cable routes if the cost of the cable routes is more than 7%.

Approved Document S applies to:

• New residential and non-residential buildings.
• Buildings undergoing a material change of use to dwellings.
• Residential and non-residential buildings undergoing major renovation.
• Mixed-use buildings that are either new, or undergoing major renovation.

Approved Document S came into effect on 15 June 2022, but does not apply to works where an initial notice was registered before 15 June 2022, provided the work starts before 15 June 2023.

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