For civil engineering companies, one of the sectors that they provide services for is Local Authorities. Local Authorities have some demanding requirements that range from completion of highway works to minimising the impact of developments on the local environment, and therefore, finding the right team of local authority approved contractors is essential to ensure that each project is carried out smoothly, on time and on budget.
Although any project from residential property development to commercial constructions have restrictions in terms of specifications, completion times, and budgetary restraints, when it comes to Local Authority projects, these restrictions are even tighter. Local authorities must operate on strict timescales and have limited budgets.
Not only that, but they must also meet stringent standards. Therefore, choosing LA approved civil engineering companies is essential to have peace of mind that the project will be carried out correctly.
Another reason that using the services of LA civil engineering firms is so important is that there are a number of legally binding agreements that apply when working on local authority projects. Section 278, Section 50, and Section 106 works must be carried out by LA approved groundwork contractors, therefore choosing the right team is crucial.
Section 278 Works
Section 278 works are works that meet the standards of Section 278 (a document that is legally binding between the developer and the Local Highway Authority). Meeting these standards mean that all work is carried out to the appropriate level and are completed to the Local Highway Authority’s satisfaction.
LA civil engineering firms are certified to complete Section 278 works, liaising with the various service providers such as electricity, gas, and water utility companies, as well as carriageway marking and anti-skid contractors, lighting contractors, and traffic management contractors, and taking over the management of all of these key aspects so that the project can be completed efficiently and effectively, engaging and programming the various companies as required, organising them so that all of the works are completed safely and by the arranged date.
Section 50 Projects
Section 50 of the New Roads and Street Works Act requires any contractor wanting to perform roadwork excavations on highways to have a Section 50 licence. This means that a licence is required to maintain or lay any new or existing apparatus in a public highway (which includes carriageways, footways, and verges).
Sewer connections, trial holes, boundary wall foundations, and private water supplies are just some of the works that require a Section 50 licence. As not every civil engineering company has a Section 50 licence, it’s essential for local authorities to work in conjunction with a firm that is already certified and approved to carry out works of this nature.
Section 106 Works
S106 agreements, otherwise known as Section 106 Planning obligations are a mechanism that makes a development proposal acceptable in terms of planning that wouldn’t be acceptable otherwise. If a developed is considered to pose some significant impacts on a local area which are unable to be moderated through conditions that can be attached to the planning decision, a Section 106 agreement will be drafted.
Under the terms of this agreement, the developer undertakes to ensure that any impact on the local area and environment will be minimised. For example, a Section 106 agreement may require that affordable housing is provided by the developer within the project, or that some compensation is provided for open spaces that will be lost during the construction works.
Alternatively, the developer may need to provide additional infrastructure in order to serve their development. A team of civil engineers that are local authority approved to perform Section 106 works are certified to undertake these aspects of the project.
For example, they can dig trenches and install ducting as necessary to install fibre optic cabling on the development in order to meet the developer’s requirement under the agreement to provide appropriate infrastructure for those who will be living or working on the development.
The Importance Of Choosing The Best LA Approved Civil Engineering Companies
Not all civil engineering companies in the South East of England are approved by the local authority to carry out section 178, section 106, or section 50 works. Edburton, however, is LA certified and has more than a half of a century of experience in executing works for the Local Authorities in Sussex, Kent, London, the Home Counties, and across the South of England.
Ranging from multi-million pound civil engineering projects to small-scale maintenance contracts, Edburton’s expertise in this area has led to a strong reputation within the area.
