Southern Water instructed our infrastructure team to negotiate land access and permits for a complex project to restore a stable water supply to an island off the Kent coast. The Isle of Sheppey, separated from the Kent mainland by part of the Thames Estuary known as the Swale, was briefly cut off from water supplies after a water main burst last year.
While emergency supplies were restored quickly, Southern Water wanted to install two pipes across the Swale to make sure water supplies could be maintained if a pipe burst again. After our team had successfully negotiated the access with all affected landowners and stakeholders, the two new pipes are set to be installed and operational shortly with one already installed via directional drill.
Senior Associate, James Cole, said: “Securing land rights for these two pipes was more difficult than a typical project due to the Isle of Sheppey’s location. The Swale is a Site of Special Scientific Interest due to the birds that nest there – which means there are additional environmental requirements that must be carefully managed.
“We’ve also supported a second project to refurbish one of the existing pipes as well heading directly under the Kingsferry Bridge connecting the Isle of Sheppey to the mainland. This required careful negotiation with Network Rail to ensure there was minimal disruption to rail services across the bridge. Our team worked brilliantly with the affected landowners and port authority to secure terms that were agreeable to all parties, which meant Southern Water could then get on with installing these much-needed pipes for the Isle of Sheppey’s 40,000-plus residents.
“We hope our work will help ensure that Sheppey has a stable water supply for years to come.”
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