The Longfield Solar Farm Order 2023

PART 3E+W+SFOR THE PROTECTION OF EASTERN POWER NETWORKS PLC AND UK POWER NETWORKS LIMITED

17.  For the protection of the utility undertakers referred to in this part of this Schedule, the following provisions have effect, unless otherwise agreed in writing between the undertaker and the utility undertakers concerned.E+W+S

18.  In this Part of this Schedule—E+W+S

“alternative apparatus” means alternative apparatus adequate to enable the utility undertaker in question to fulfil its statutory functions in a manner not less efficient than previously;

“apparatus” means electric lines or electrical plant (as defined in the Electricity Act 1989(1)), belonging to or maintained by that utility undertaker, to include any electric lines diverted or undergrounded as part of the authorised development;

“functions” includes powers and duties;

“in” in a context referring to apparatus or alternative apparatus in land includes a reference to apparatus or alternative apparatus under, over or upon land; and

“utility undertaker” means—

for the area of the authorised development, and in relation to any apparatus, means the utility undertaker to whom it belongs or by whom it is maintained.

19.  This Part of this Schedule does not apply to apparatus in respect of which the relations between the undertaker and the utility undertaker are regulated by the provisions of Part 3 (street works in England and Wales) of the 1991 Act.E+W+S

20.  Regardless of the temporary prohibition or restriction of use of streets under the powers conferred by article 11 (temporary closure of public rights of way), a utility undertaker is at liberty at all times to take all necessary access across any such street and to execute and do all such works and things in, upon or under any such street as may be reasonably necessary or desirable to enable it to maintain any apparatus which at the time of the prohibition or restriction was in that street.E+W+S

21.  Regardless of any provision in this Order or anything shown on the land plans, the undertaker must not acquire any apparatus otherwise than with the prior written agreement of the utility undertaker.E+W+S

22.—(1) If, in the exercise of the powers conferred by this Order, the undertaker acquires any interest in any land in which any apparatus is placed or over which access to any apparatus is enjoyed or requires that the utility undertaker’s apparatus is relocated or diverted, that apparatus must not be removed under this Part of this Schedule, and any right of a utility undertaker to maintain that apparatus in that land and to gain access to it must not be extinguished, until alternative apparatus has been constructed and is in operation, and access to it has been provided, to the reasonable satisfaction of the utility undertaker in question in accordance with sub-paragraphs (2) to (6).E+W+S

(2) If, for the purpose of executing any works in, on or under any land purchased, held, appropriated or used under this Order, the undertaker requires the removal of any apparatus placed in that land, the undertaker must give to the utility undertaker in question 28 days’ written notice of that requirement together with a plan and section of the work proposed, and of the proposed position of the alternative apparatus to be provided or constructed and in that case (or if in consequence of the exercise of any of the powers conferred by this Order a utility undertaker reasonably needs to remove any of its apparatus) the undertaker must, subject to sub-paragraph (3) afford to the utility undertaker the necessary facilities and rights for the construction of alternative apparatus in other land of the undertaker and subsequently for the maintenance of that apparatus.

(3) If alternative apparatus or any part of such apparatus is to be constructed elsewhere than in other land of the undertaker, or the undertaker is unable to afford such facilities and rights as are mentioned in sub-paragraph (2), in the land in which the alternative apparatus or part of such apparatus is to be constructed, the undertaker in question must, on receipt of a written notice to that effect from the undertaker, as soon as reasonably possible use reasonable endeavours to obtain the necessary facilities and rights in the land in which the alternative apparatus is to be constructed.

(4) Any alternative apparatus to be constructed in land of the undertaker under this Part of this Schedule must be constructed in such manner and in such line or situation as may be agreed between the utility undertaker in question and the undertaker or in default of agreement settled by arbitration in accordance with article 39 (arbitration).

(5) The utility undertaker in question must, after the alternative apparatus to be provided or constructed has been agreed or settled by arbitration in accordance with article 39 (arbitration), and after the grant to the utility undertaker of any such facilities and rights as are referred to in sub-paragraph (2) or (3), proceed without unnecessary delay to construct and bring into operation the alternative apparatus and subsequently to remove any apparatus required by the undertaker to be removed under the provisions of this Part of this Schedule.

(6) Regardless of anything in sub-paragraph (5) if the undertaker gives notice in writing to the utility undertaker in question that it desires itself to execute any work, or part of any work, in connection with the removal of apparatus or construction of alternative apparatus in any land controlled by the undertaker, that work, instead of being executed by the utility undertaker, must be executed by the undertaker without unnecessary delay and only in accordance with plans approved by the utility undertaker, such approval may be subject to such reasonable conditions including but not limited to the undertaker entering into an assets protection agreement with the utility undertaker as the utility undertaker deems necessary. The undertaker must carry out the works under the superintendence, if given, and to the reasonable satisfaction of the utility undertaker subject to the utility undertaker’s reasonable specification.

23.—(1) Where, in accordance with the provisions of this Part of this Schedule, the undertaker affords to a utility undertaker facilities and rights for the construction and maintenance in land of the undertaker of alternative apparatus in substitution for apparatus to be removed, those facilities and rights must be granted upon such terms and conditions as may be agreed between the undertaker and the utility undertaker in question or in default of agreement settled by arbitration in accordance with article 39 (arbitration).E+W+S

(2) If the facilities and rights to be afforded by the undertaker in respect of any alternative apparatus, and the terms and conditions subject to which those facilities and rights are to be granted, are in the opinion of the arbitrator less favourable on the whole to the utility undertaker in question than the facilities and rights enjoyed by it in respect of the apparatus to be removed and the terms and conditions to which those facilities and rights are subject, the arbitrator must make such provision for the payment of compensation by the undertaker to that utility undertaker as appears to the arbitrator to be reasonable having regard to all the circumstances of the particular case.

24.—(1) Not less than 28 days before starting the execution of any works in, on, over or under any land purchased, held, appropriated or used under this Order that are over, under or near to, or will or may affect, any apparatus the removal of which has not been required by the undertaker under paragraph 22, the undertaker must submit to the utility undertaker in question a plan, section and description of the works to be executed.E+W+S

(2) Those works must be executed only in accordance with the plan, section and description submitted under sub-paragraph (1) and in accordance with such reasonable requirements as may be made in accordance with sub-paragraph (3) by the utility undertaker for the alteration or otherwise for the protection of the apparatus, or for securing access to it, and the utility undertaker is entitled to watch and inspect the execution of those works.

(3) Any requirements made by a utility undertaker under sub-paragraph (2) must be made within a period of 28 days beginning with the date on which a plan, section and description under sub-paragraph (1) are submitted to it.

(4) If a utility undertaker in accordance with sub-paragraph (3) and in consequence of the works proposed by the undertaker, reasonably requires the removal of any apparatus and gives written notice to the undertaker of that requirement, paragraphs 17 to 23 apply as if the removal of the apparatus had been required by the undertaker under paragraph 22(2).

(5) Nothing in this paragraph precludes the undertaker from submitting at any time or from time to time, but in no case less than 28 days before commencing the execution of any works, a new plan, section and description instead of the plan, section and description previously submitted, and having done so the provisions of this paragraph apply to and in respect of the new plan, section and description.

(6) The undertaker is not required to comply with sub-paragraph (1) in a case of emergency but in that case it must give to the utility undertaker in question notice as soon as is reasonably practicable and a plan, section and description of those works as soon as reasonably practicable subsequently and must comply with sub-paragraph (2) in so far as is reasonably practicable in the circumstances.

25.—(1) Subject to the following provisions of this paragraph, the undertaker must repay to a utility undertaker all reasonable expenses incurred by that utility undertaker in, or in connection with, the inspection, removal, alteration or protection of any apparatus or the construction of any new apparatus which may be required in consequence of the execution of any such works as are referred to in paragraph 22(2).E+W+S

(2) There is to be deducted from any sum payable under sub-paragraph (1) the value of any apparatus removed under the provisions of this Part of this Schedule, that value being calculated after removal.

(3) If in accordance with the provisions of this Part of this Schedule—

(a)apparatus of better type, of greater capacity or of greater dimensions is placed in substitution for existing apparatus of worse type, of smaller capacity or of smaller dimensions; or

(b)apparatus (whether existing apparatus or apparatus substituted for existing apparatus) is placed at a depth greater than the depth at which the existing apparatus was,

and the placing of apparatus of that type or capacity or of those dimensions or the placing of apparatus at that depth, as the case may be, is not agreed by the undertaker or, in default of agreement, is not determined by arbitration in accordance with article 39 (arbitration) to be necessary, then, if such placing involves cost in the construction of works under this part of this Schedule exceeding that which would have been involved if the apparatus placed had been of the existing type, capacity or dimensions, or at the existing depth, as the case may be, the amount which apart from this sub-paragraph would be payable to the utility undertaker in question by virtue of sub-paragraph (1) is to be reduced by the amount of that excess.

(4) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (3)—

(a)an extension of apparatus to a length greater than the length of existing apparatus is not to be treated as a placing of apparatus of greater dimensions than those of the existing apparatus where such extension is required in consequence of the execution of any such works as are referred to in paragraph 22(2); and

(b)where the provision of a joint in a cable is agreed, or is determined to be necessary, the consequential provision of a jointing chamber or of a manhole is to be treated as if it also had been agreed or had been so determined.

(5) An amount which apart from this sub-paragraph would be payable to a utility undertaker in respect of works by virtue of sub-paragraph (1) if the works include the placing of apparatus provided in substitution for apparatus placed more than seven years and six months earlier so as to confer on the utility undertaker any financial benefit by deferment of the time for renewal of the apparatus in the ordinary course, is to be reduced by the amount which represents that benefit.

26.—(1) Subject to sub-paragraphs (2) and (3), if by reason or in consequence of the construction of any of the works referred to in paragraph 22(2), any damage is caused to any apparatus (other than apparatus the repair of which is not reasonably necessary in view of its intended removal for the purposes of those works) or property of a utility undertaker, or there is any interruption in any service provided, or in the supply of any goods, by any utility undertaker, the undertaker must—E+W+S

(a)bear and pay the cost reasonably incurred by that utility undertaker in making good such damage or restoring the supply; and

(b)make compensation to that utility undertaker for any other expenses, loss, damages, penalty or costs incurred by the utility undertaker,

by reason or in consequence of any such damage or interruption.

(2) Nothing in sub-paragraph 22(2) imposes any liability on the undertaker with respect to any damage or interruption to the extent that it is attributable to the act, neglect or default of a utility undertaker, its officers, servants, contractors or agents.

(3) A utility undertaker must give the undertaker reasonable notice of any such claim or demand and no settlement or compromise is to be made without the consent of the undertaker such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed.

27.  Where in consequence of the proposed construction of any of the authorised development, the undertaker or a utility undertaker requires the removal of apparatus under paragraph 22(2) or a utility undertaker makes requirements for the protection or alteration of apparatus under paragraph 24, the undertaker must use reasonable endeavours to co-ordinate the execution of the works in the interests of safety and the efficient and economic execution of the authorised development and taking into account the need to ensure the safe and efficient operation of the utility undertaker’s undertaking and each utility undertaker must use its reasonable endeavours to co-operate with the undertaker for that purpose.E+W+S

28.  Nothing in this Part of this Schedule affects the provisions of any enactment or agreement regulating the relations between the undertaker and a utility undertaking in respect of any apparatus laid or erected in land belonging to the undertaker on the date on which this Order is made.E+W+S

29.  Any difference under this Part of this Schedule must, unless otherwise agreed in writing between the undertaker and the utility undertaker, be determined by arbitration in accordance with article 39 (arbitration).E+W+S