Removal of Gas Water and Electricity services

[Dave Fawthrop]

I am buying an old access road to a Factory to turn it into garden, and distribute sections to the neighbours. It is far more complicated than that. :-( It is IMO far better to have the locals owning the land rather than an absentee landlord. A small amount of Fly Tipping has occurred.

There are *redundant* Gas, Electricity and Water Services along the length of the road, once used by the factory. I have contacted the companies in charge of the *physical* networks.

The gas supplier Northern Gas Networks/United Utilities are Quoting GBP

1073.95 to disconnect the 4 inch main. Is this legal? Because as I see it is just maintenance of their network? I have never had any advantage

The Electricity YEDL supplier, on the other hand, are offering to remove the cable "at YEDL cost"

Cutting off the water is just a matter of turning off an existing tap next to the existing meter, so I for see no problems. Yorkshire water have not yet got back to me

The Planning Department, are proving helpful, and have *said* that there would be no problems, but have charged me GBP 32 for an official answer to my question about Change of Use Planning permission which I fully expect to get.

[Andy Hall]

If it was and is a private road, surely the costs associated with the services provision are with the owners?

An obvious question. Why do the services need to be removed or disconnected anyway? It''s not as though your neighbours, in planting their brassicas are going to dig them up.....

[The Wanderer]

Ask them what right they have to be present on the land.

In very general terms, utility companies usually never bothered with wayleaves or easements for services crossing land that were wholly under the ownership of the person to whom supply was being given, like the owner of the factory, IYSWIM. In other words, if the person who wanted the supply wouldn't give permission for the service to cross their land, they didn't get a supply!

If, by some slight chance they've got a wayleave, that's determinable if you give them notice. They've got to remove the equipment at the end of the notice period, unless they can demonstrate they have a need for the equipment to remain in situ, when they could apply for a compulsory wayleave. As they're prepared to remove it at your expense, it seems like that's not the case.

If they've got a permanent easement, then you're stuffed. Pay up!

[Dave Fawthrop]

On Wed, 25 Apr 2007 14:29:41 +0100, Andy Hall wrote:

|!On 2007-04-25 14:01:38 +0100, Dave Fawthrop |! said: |! |!> I am buying an old access road to a Factory to turn it into garden, and |!> distribute sections to the neighbours. It is far more complicated than |!> that. :-( It is IMO far better to have the locals owning the land rather |!> than an absentee landlord. A small amount of Fly Tipping has occurred. |!> |!> There are *redundant* Gas, Electricity and Water Services along the length |!> of the road, once used by the factory. I have contacted the companies in |!> charge of the *physical* networks. |!> |!> The gas supplier Northern Gas Networks/United Utilities are Quoting GBP |!> 1073.95 to disconnect the 4 inch main. Is this legal? Because as I see |!> it is just maintenance of their network? I have never had any advantage |!> |!> The Electricity YEDL supplier, on the other hand, are offering to remove |!> the cable "at YEDL cost" |!> |!> Cutting off the water is just a matter of turning off an existing tap next |!> to the existing meter, so I for see no problems. Yorkshire water have not |!> yet got back to me |!> |!> The Planning Department, are proving helpful, and have *said* that there |!> would be no problems, but have charged me GBP 32 for an official answer to |!> my question about Change of Use Planning permission which I fully expect to |!> get. |!> |!> |! |!If it was and is a private road, surely the costs associated with the |!services provision are with the owners? |! |!An obvious question. Why do the services need to be removed or |!disconnected anyway? It''s not as though your neighbours, in planting |!their brassicas are going to dig them up.....

I will excavate my bit about 3 ft deep to build a garage.

[nightjar]

It is not maintenance, as there is no fault with the network. They need to dig a hole, disconnect a large pipe, make it safe and make good the hole. If the disconnection is on the public highway, they probably need to make good in two stages, in order to achieve the minimum standards required. The price seems quite fair for the work involved.

Copper cable is worth money.

Colin Bignell

[John Stumbles]

Presumably multiple-posted, since AIUI it automatically gets rejected from a moderated group if it's cross-posted to an unmoderated one - ?

[Dave Fawthrop]

|!On Wed, 25 Apr 2007 14:01:38 +0100, Dave Fawthrop wrote: |! |!> |! |!Presumably multiple-posted, since AIUI it automatically gets rejected from |!a moderated group if it's cross-posted to an unmoderated one - ?

If for any reason the moderated group rejects something, it does not appear in the unmoderated groups.