Electric cable easement / build over agreement

zaarin_2003

Hi, my wife and I are interested in extending our house. However, there is a Southern electricity cable running the length of the house under the area we’d like to extend into.

our deeds contain an easement forbidding us from building over or near within 1m of the cable. This is so Southern can access the cable.

However, I understand it might be possible to engage a solicitor and obtain a build over agreement such that we can build over the relevant area whilst doing so in a way that enables Southern to retain access if required.

Does anyone have any knowledge or experience of this?

specifically, what legal fees might we expect? And what technical challenges and what associated cost might there be in ensuring our extension would retain access to the cabling under it?

many thanks

matt

Robin9

This does very much depend on what voltage the cable is.  As an ex-distribution engineer  I would say if its a low voltage cable (415/240 volt) it should be straight forward and we would lay a spare 150mm duct alongside it and cover the cable with sand. Your problem may be that there may be insufficient depth of cover to your floor slab.  A lot care needed by your builder.  The cable is really quite rigid and you won't be able to lower it. In the good old day's we would supply the ducting and charge nothing.  Legals wouldn't come into it.

If it's an 11,000 volt cable then far more difficult and the company may insist it is diverted around. Perhaps £10k.  Legals wouldn't come into it.

If it's an 33,000 volt cable  then they would simply say NO.

Your first step is to meet a design engineer - expect to pay these days.

user1977

I've never heard of build-over agreements for power cables - where have you gained your "understanding" from?

Would diverting the cable instead be an option?

zaarin_2003

user1977 said:

I've never heard of build-over agreements for power cables - where have you gained your "understanding" from?

Would diverting the cable instead be an option?

My dad is a property developer and former surveyor and has experience of commissioning solicitors to arrange build-over agreements; an agreement with the electric company that you can do precisely what your title deeds forbid, I.e build over the cable you’re forbidden from building over. The key is providing them with a design for your project that shows their access will still be available despite your structure over the top. But his experience is not recent and so his estimates of cost are very rough.

I have no idea about diverting!