Scott Harbour Cardiff Council
Twelve EV charge points delivered in the underground car park of 78 new council apartments — load-managed on the building's existing supply, certified 31 days after the order was placed, and monitored around the clock ever since.
:format(webp))
:format(webp))
:format(webp))
The Challenge
Scott Harbour is a former Cardiff Bay office block converted by Cardiff Council with developer Rightacres into 78 council apartments, and already the first residential scheme on the Council's low-carbon district heat network. Residents park in a single shared underground car park — which sets up the problem facing almost every housing team retrofitting charging into existing stock: the households who most need on-site provision are the ones hardest to serve.
Flat residents can't fit a home charger, and on-street lamp post charging doesn't reach a basement — without provision on site, EV ownership is effectively closed off. Twelve points meets current demand, but EV uptake across 78 households will keep growing; without active load management, every future addition risks a new supply assessment and a DNO application that adds both cost and months. On top of that, phase one residents had already moved in during 2025, meaning the works had to be carried out in a live residential basement around residents' parked vehicles.
Our Solution
PLUG installed 12 charge points across 6 dual-socket units — five Rolec SecuriCharge units on pedestals and one wall-mounted Rolec Zura — with dynamic load balancing across the whole installation, managing total draw within the building's existing capacity and leaving headroom to add further charge points without a supply upgrade. Cable, containment and terminations were run from isolators between each pair of bays, keeping disruption minimal in an occupied basement. Every pedestal is protected by bolt-down hoop barriers on marked and surfaced EV bays. Residents start a charge via the PLUG Charging app or a QR code at the unit — no RFID card to issue, lose or replace. Free-vend RFID is also configured for council fleet and maintenance vehicles, so operatives charge on site at no transaction cost. The project ran from purchase order to certified, energised charge points in 31 days.
Outcomes & Impact
- On-site charging for 78 council households who have no driveway and no realistic on-street alternative — at a tariff the Council sets and controls.
- A council-owned asset, not a concession — direct procurement put infrastructure where residents need it and kept tariff and access with the Council.
- Local labour and local supply chain throughout, minimising the carbon footprint of the works and keeping spend in the regional economy.
- Serves residents and the housing team's own fleet from the same infrastructure, with a model that transfers directly to other blocks with communal parking.
Interested in a Similar Solution?
Let's discuss how we can help your organization transition to electric vehicles.