Big Yellow Self Storage

Big Yellow Group Plc (“Big Yellow”) is the UK’s brand leader in self-storage, operating from a platform of 92 stores across the country. The group has pioneered the development of the latest generation of self-storage facilities, which utilise state of the art technology and are located in high profile, accessible, main road locations.

We have worked alongside Big Yellow since 2006, providing a wide range of utility infrastructure services on over 50 Big Yellow developments as part of the group’s new store delivery programme.

Utility Plan Provision

Utilising our licenses to access various utility companies’ Geographic Information Systems (GIS), we produce graphic displays of geographic information for analysis and presentation, allowing us to provide Big Yellow with detailed Utility Plans for their proposed site development.

As our Major Projects team have a wealth of knowledge within the utilities industry, we are also able to provide engineering expertise to discuss any potential utility issues identified when obtaining the plans.

Feasibility Studies

Using the information gathered from our provision of utility plans and information provided by the client, potential utility costs and wayleave issues at a proposed development are investigated on behalf of Big Yellow, allowing for potential savings to be made in the subsequent site build.

The typical services provided during this stage of work are:

• Identification of required service disconnections;
• Identification of diversion issues on existing utilities;
• Identification of potential utility wayleave issues;
• Investigation of utilities legal rights over existing apparatus;
• Undertaking utility demand estimation calculations, coordinating with the building services engineers (taking into account site diversity);
• Review of the proposed building drawings, identification of possible connection points (with utility providers) and agreement of preliminary locations with the MEP team;
• Provision of detailed connection options (pre-quotation stage);
• Provision of budgetary costs of utility connections/diversions;
• Identification if potential routes for new incoming services, i.e; Long distances to nearest potential point of connection, route difficulties such as motorway or rail crossings, and existing utility assets which will impede site development.

Disconnection Management

We have additionally provided assistance to Big Yellow where existing meters and services require disconnection, prior to demolition. As an accredited meter operator (MAP) and meter asset manager (MAM) we offer a unique meter removal offering which enables us to utilise our own resources to remove the meters on behalf of the supplier.

We have also assisted Big Yellow with the procurement of service disconnection quotations and support through the physical disconnections.

Quotation Procurement

In procuring new connection and diversion quotations on behalf of Big Yellow, we seek to obtain the most cost-effective quotations, based on the most efficient design, as well as assessing the utility’s legal rights/security of tenure. Using our engineering knowledge and experience we also challenge any quotations/designs received on behalf of Big Yellow, where we believe a more cost-effective or suitable solution is available.

Construction Stage Support

We provide assistance to Big Yellow through the construction stage, including technical support (i.e. answering technical queries and providing comments to the party administering the contract). This support is combined with site visits to ensure that the works are being constructed broadly in accordance with the design intent.

Electricity Metering

We liaise with both supplier and meter operator to facilitate the MPAN registration and to enable the meter installation to Big Yellow’s programme.