Designing for utilities
Full utilities surveys (trial holes etc.) must be undertaken prior to start of works. The location and installation of utility equipment both above and below ground should be considered at the earliest opportunity, particularly where surface areas are shared.
Private equipment should not be located in the highway, but utility company’s equipment should be. Where houses are located very close to the highway boundary this can be difficult to achieve and may lead to the council refusing to adopt highway.
Utility equipment should be installed in accordance with National Joint Utilities Group, (NJUG), volumes 1 and 2. Where a shared-surface layout is proposed without a separate service margin or where a development layout is not explicitly covered by this guidance, early discussions should be held with utility providers and details provided to the council of proposed locations for utility equipment. Separate services margin should be at least 2m wide.
Placing equipment within areas where pre-construction surveys have identified archaeological features, including foundations to listed buildings, must be avoided or appropriate mitigation put in place in accordance with any planning conditions.
Confirmation that statutory undertakers are not affected by the works should be provided. This should be either a web search plan showing that they have no assets within the area of works, or if they do have assets in the area a formal New Roads and Street Works Act (NRSWA) C3 response from the Statutory Undertaker stating that they are unaffected. If Statutory Undertaker’s assets are affected then the response letter, estimate of works and plan of the works should also be submitted to the council.
Location and Design of Utility Equipment
Above Ground Utilities
Above ground utility equipment must not:
- present a danger to the public or to staff working on it;
- obstruct a drivers’ view, for example, by being sited in visibility splays;
- obstruct highway users, including pedestrians, wheelchairs and pushchairs. At least 1.2m clearance must be provided, increased to 2m in areas of high pedestrian flows (500 or more pedestrians an hour);
- be located within a cycleway;
- be located within 5m of any other street furniture that would create multiple obstructions to pedestrians. Any items within 5m of another utility must be in line;
- provide a means of illegal access to adjacent premises or property. For example, siting alongside a high wall where equipment could be used to enable access should be avoided;
- negatively impact on visual amenity by obstructing the view from the window of a house, intruding into areas of open-plan front gardens or disrupting the line of low boundary walls;
- negatively affect a Grade I or Grade II listed building. Licence requirements, including any wayleaves, must be agreed for listed buildings and conservation areas. Additional consideration must be given to cabinet design to be located in conservation areas.
- create unnecessary clutter.
To ensure the ease of maintenance all apparatus above the ground should:
- be positioned so that maintenance and cleaning operations are not disrupted;
- not be located within tactile paving (in the case of surface covers). Where there is no alternative, this should be integrated within the design with a suitable recessed cover;
- allow space for associated jointing chambers;
- take account of known future highway alterations;
- allow for future surfacing work, for example, by using raised plinths and allowing for spare cable if the boxes are raised in future.
Equipment should be located within the verge where possible. At least 1m spacing should be provided between the cabinet and the edge of the carriageway in rural areas and 1.5m in urban areas. Access doors should always open to the footway. The impacts caused by the gradient of adjacent land on future operations and maintenance within the vicinity of above ground equipment should be considered.
If there is no verge, designs must:
- position equipment at the back of footway;
- provide a minimum distance of 1.2m between the edge of an open access door and the edge of the carriageway where pedestrian flows are low; or
- provide a minimum distance of 2m between the edge of an open access door and the edge of the carriageway where pedestrian flows are heavy (500 pedestrians or more per hour at any time).
If equipment is placed on private land, then an easement may be required to allow utility equipment providers access for maintenance purposes.
Below Ground Utilities
Equipment located below ground should accord with NJUG volume 7. Access chambers should be located so that they:
- minimise disruption to pedestrians and provide adequate access for installing and maintaining equipment, and recovery operations;
- avoid the use of expensive or bespoke pavings that may not be easily replaced following essential maintenance;
- avoid other utility providers’ equipment;
- allow for using mechanical equipment during construction and installation, maintenance and recovery operations at the site;
- consider any known future highway activities and alterations. Contact the Network Management team or visit the One Network site; and
- make sure the type and construction of underground boxes allows the council to raise covers and frames when the council carries out resurfacing work;