Day to day work at Dalcour Maclaren is often misconceived as just handling compensation claims and arranging access to land for our clients. In fact, the range of instructions that we get is huge, providing valuable experience to our surveyors in areas of general practice, and giving opportunities to those with previous experience to share their expertise. This can be in both rural and commercial environments. Here’s one example of this…

In early 2018, Dalcour Maclaren was awarded the contract to provide strategic advice and land agency services by a national client in relation to a new electricity power tunnel project in London.

The project will include the construction of a new 30km tunnel beneath south London, linking with the north London phase which completed earlier this year. Consequently, there is interaction with commercial properties and businesses, residential properties, Royal Parks, as well as the diverse labyrinth that is London’s underground, utility and transport network.

Dalcour Maclaren is instructed to support the feasibility and consultation phases, as well as negotiating the acquisition of land and rights for the tunnel, the head houses and the multiple crossing agreements.

Harry Stubbs of Dalcour Maclaren’s Crewe office worked closely with the client and client’s legal representatives to agree the land right strategy to construct and maintain the tunnel, and one that provided sufficient protection for the tunnel where it follows beneath the adopted highway. The strategy will focus on obtaining voluntary agreements but will also allow for powers to be sought through compulsion to deliver this critical reinforcement project for the Capital.

The next phases of the project will see Dalcour Maclaren progressing negotiations with hundreds of affected parties whilst also consulting with all those statutory undertakers and private utilities to ensure any associated impact is mitigated.
The project is a prime example of the scale of projects which Dalcour Maclaren is supporting but also demonstrates the diverse property types that we can advise on and the wider range of professional services we have available.