Bell Ingram’s Surveyors Supporting United Utilities’ Better River Project

Brief

United Utilities’ Better River Project forms part of its ‘Big North West upgrade’ – a £3 billion investment to reduce storm overflow spills by 60% by 2030 and improve more than 300 miles of river across the North West. With major works planned from the River Kent in Cumbria to the Irwell in Lancashire and Greater Manchester, and a £200 million programme to protect Windermere, the scale and pace of delivery requires robust land and property support.

Bell Ingram’s Surveyors were appointed to provide comprehensive land referencing, statutory and valuation services to enable timely access to land and secure the rights necessary to deliver this nationally significant environmental programme.

Process

Bell Ingram’s role began with detailed land referencing, establishing land ownership and identifying all affected interests along proposed pipeline routes and at storm overflow intervention sites. Working closely with United Utilities’ engineers, the team assisted with route planning and site selection, advising on land constraints and highlighting sensitive or complex stakeholders, including Schedule 13 undertakers such as Network Rail, whose operational requirements could restrict access.

Surveyors managed landowner liaison throughout, holding site meetings, serving statutory notices under the Water Industry Act 1991, and negotiating access agreements. This included temporary site compound licence agreements where compounds were remote from pipe-laying works, as well as negotiating easements, leases and, where required, land purchases.

The team agreed accommodation works covering soil management, reinstatement and land drainage, and compiled photographic Records of Condition to protect all parties. They arranged structural surveys where works were near buildings and advised on valuations, compensation budgets and programme risk.

In addition, Bell Ingram liaised with landowners and Distribution Network Operators to secure wayleaves for power supplies to upgraded assets, ensuring that infrastructure improvements could be energised without delay.

Outcome

Bell Ingram’s proactive, solution-focused approach enabled United Utilities to maintain momentum across hundreds of intervention sites. By securing access, mitigating land risk and fostering constructive relationships with landowners, the surveyors played a critical role in facilitating works that contributed to a forecast 20% reduction in spills in 2025 alone and an overall 45% reduction since 2020.

Their expertise has helped underpin progress towards the 60% reduction target by 2030, supporting meaningful improvements to water quality and river health across the North West.