Over the last ten years Bruton Knowles has worked with the estates team at Wessex Water on all nature of property and infrastructure projects and has provided specialist consultancy and ‘call off’ support to assist the water company achieve its property, infrastructure and investment targets

Water companies across the UK are required to commit to significant investment in their infrastructure and property assets to ensure that new standards are delivered for customers and the environment. Indeed, stringent investment targets set by OFWAT, the vital need for effective asset and infrastructure management, coupled with the ever more powerful consumer and industry lobby for responsible environmental policies, have all added to the growing list of challenges faced by water companies.

Wessex Water, covering an area of 10,000 sq km across Dorset, Somerset, Bristol and Wiltshire with a customer base of 2.5 million, has achieved reputation for the quality of its service to customers and its commitment to investing in its business. This was borne out by OFWAT’s recent selection of Wessex Water as the UK’s top water and Sewerage Company. This accolade was awarded to the water company for its first rate operational performance and customer service. Furthermore, Wessex Water continues to meet its leakage targets and the careful management of its water resources has enabled the water company to once again avoid water restrictions. In line with all water companies, investment and capital projects are agreed with OFWAT at the start of each five year investment programme.

Wessex Water invests millions of pounds every year to meet the demands of new regulation and to accommodate an increasing population and is now in the second year of its five year £800million investment programme, having met and in some instances exceeded its first year’s targets.

Over the past decade, Bruton Knowles’s specialist water team has worked with the nine strong in-house estates team at Wessex Water, providing full range of specialist property services to help it achieve the targets it has been set. Consultancy support includes compensation and land entry work for capital projects, such as new water or sewerage mains. The range of work includes negotiating early entry, preparing records of conditions, drainage investigation, and negotiation of claims on behalf of Wessex Water and purchase of land to safeguard further expansion.

Bruton Knowles has assisted Wessex Water to undertake estate management and strategic reviews. Work is carried out on a consultancy basis for specific projects or on a ‘call out’ schedule when in-house resources are stretched to the limit. The property consultants have been instructed to market and dispose of redundant sites and surplus assets, such as Wembdon Reservoir in Somerset – a former Victorian reservoir which has been sold to a developer for conversion into residential use. Bruton Knowles has also provided advice as part of a strategic review of Wessex Water’s portfolio looking at land ownership and tenancy agreements. Wessex Water now enjoys better possession of land and assured tenancies.

Nick Routh, Estates Manager at Wessex Water comments “Bruton Knowles has always offered a fast, efficient, cost-effective and flexible resource–often at very short notice - whether it is on a ‘call off’ basis to assist with peak work loads or on very specialist projects which involve compensation claims where detailed market knowledge is required.“ I have been very impressed with Bruton Knowles’ work as they can be relied upon to offer comprehensive advice quickly and cost effectively. The team provides a seamless service and has offered expert support, particularly in negotiating very specialist compensation settlements. Bruton Knowles’ knowledge of the water industry and its understanding of farming practices, together with its proactive approach, is key to our long-standing relationship.