[damien c]

So been a while since I dealt with this sort of thing but here goes.

1: New build estates will approach all Utility companies and ask them for specific requirements, in terms of BT/VM typically where they want ducting, chambers etc and they would like that providing for a reduced fee or for free.

2: Whilst the plans are being developed for the site they will usually have meetings with the relevant parties through out the whole build to make sure everything is correct, so there is little to no chance of a cabinet being left of the plans if it's a complete new build site.

3: If it's a "Re-Build" of a site, as in houses knocked down and re-built then the ducting, chambers, cabinets and poles typically stay where they are due to the immense cost/time of moving them.

4: If the VM Network was built in to the estate after the estate was built, then a survey would have taken place by a Network Planner, and then where required meetings would have taken place with residents, especially those where they were looking to utilise space, that was in part of someone's property as they would need legal permission to do so.


To me this seems like Option 4, the estate was built then later VM went in and built it.

There should have been information provided to the new owner of the property around any "Wayleave" permissions from the previous owners etc as they get renewed after so long, as such they need to know the previous T&C's.

You can ask for the cabinet to be moved, and there will be high cost's involved due to several requirements, who bares that cost will depend on the documentation but typically, it's the person who want's it moved that has to pay.

Also be aware, that the age of the roads/footpaths could also make it extremely expensive to move due to the cost's to do what is called "Full Width Reinstatement" which the last time I costed for it (over 5 years ago), for a customer due to the landlord being a specific type, it came out to over £0.5M (half a million) in order to install ducting down 1 section of the road!

Good Luck!