Apogee were instructed to perform a Utility search on a large plot of land in Anglesey for the construction of a large solar farm. Apogee have assisted with the searching and new connections for several solar and wind farms throughout the country. This particular development is one of the largest in Wales, with a 35MW Capacity across nearly 160 Hectares of land; so large that it has been designated a “Development of National Significance” and will be decided by the Welsh national Planning Inspectorate.



What was the Apogee Solution?

To assist with the masterplanning, design and land ownership investigations for the development, Apogee were instructed to provision a full search report of buried utilities within the site extent covering a large area of farmland below the A55 and covering several smaller roads. One of the main issues facing developments like these is facilitating the connection to the electrical grid, which can be very expensive and time-consuming due to the size of the development and associated reinforcement costs. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has recently proposed changes to planning decisions to grant priority to green energy schemes, but the process remains a complex and potentially expensive hurdle to completing the work.

Using our experience in analysing utility plans and our knowledge of how to handle them in relation to new developments, Apogee were able to identify all the relevant utilities for the site and inform the client which assets posed a risk to the development and could require some remediation to prevent delays or unexpected costs.

What was the result of the report?

The site searched was relatively large at over 150 Hectares, and contained extensive underground utility plant across a wide area. There was extensive power cabling both underneath some of the roadways in the site and underneath the fields intended for the photovoltaic panels. Some of this cabling was rated for significant voltages, which is a double edged sword for such a development; while there is more likely going to be a point of connection available nearby to handle the large output of the solar farm there will need to be diversionary works to clear the existing cables without disrupting the homes and businesses they supply – leading to costs and delays.

There was also a large amount of underground gas in the western half of the site, as well as extensive telecoms cables from multiple operators throughout. There were also a few water mains crossing the site, though there was much less water plant than for the other utilities.

Why was the client delighted?

Even for large and complex sites, Apogee can deliver complete utility searches within strict timeframes. This search was over 6 times as large as a standard site for us and we delivered it 100% complete within the normal turnaround of 10 working days, even with the site being as long as it is and requiring multiple separate searches of the various utilities to be collated together. The report was also delivered alongside individual files showing each utility within the site, which can be particularly helpful for large sites and make the information easier to use. While this site is a significant energy project, even in low risk situations it is important safedigging practises are followed at all times in accordance with the PAS128 Specification and HSG47 Guidelines.

Who else would buy this?

Our Consultancy services are ideal for Solicitors, Clients and Project Managers, Developers, Local Authorities Consultants, Architects, Design & Build Contractors, Highways Scheme promoters and Surveyors. Anyone involved with a residential or commercial development who would benefit from understanding the risks and costs which come from utilities would be well placed to talk to us.

Even if you are not the source of funds for the development and costs savings are of secondary importance to you, we can help you avoid other inconveniences such as delays, and reduce the risk of any accidents or strikes of existing plant, as well as improve due diligence and help you achieve compliance under the relevant guidelines and regulations, namely PAS128 and HSG47. We have decades of experience in managing such conflicts across our capable team, a member of whom was on the PAS128 steering committee and who was personally involved in the drafting of PAS128 Quality Level D.