Review and survey
Review of all documents and agreements in place to establish a costed plan with timetables. Our initial review will list all non-compliances known at the time followed up with a detailed survey of the state of the roads, drainage, public open spaces and other areas.
Communication
DSS actively engage with all stakeholders from residents through local authorities, water and utility companies, telecoms, developers and any third parties involved in the adoption and release of bonds process.
Residents are the key to a smooth project. Very often they are the most affected – paying full Council Taxes and Water Company Bills and not receiving the services they expect to get. In some cases they may also be being asked to pay management fees to cover works which would normally be covered by the adopting entity.
Consultancy
DSS will either work from existing drainage and estate condition reports or produce our own. Uniquely we have the in-house capability for drainage surveys, MH condition reports and detailed road, kerb, footpath, streetlighting, signage and hard landscaping reports.
Based on the review phase we create a detailed list of non-compliances which we then agree with the adopting body. Following acceptance we carry the works out ourselves, increasing control and speed. The experience of our management team ensures that all works are carried out to adoptable standards.
Negotiation
DSS lead the negotiation to secure adoption and Bond release by constant liaison with the Local Authorities and Water Companies.
Our clear objective is to achieve adoption and hence Bond release in a time and cost effective manner. The key is continued communication with everyone involved plus a skilled work force.
KEY SERVICES
Phase 1
Review Phase
This is a combination of office and site based research where we review the information at hand. We then verify this with initial review meetings with the local authority and water companies.
The collated information is then turned into a report which includes a detailed summary of the work to be completed, associated costs and a rough cut timetable.
You will not incur any cost at this point. Costs only accrue when you have appointed DSS to manage the adoption process on the estate.
Phase 2
Planning Phase
DSS will carry out site specific research which will include a new CCTV drainage survey if none currently exists, the creation of a S38 adoption plan, and a review of the estate wide GPS data identifying locations for SuDS, POS and Easement Areas.
On completion of this phase you will be presented with a detailed and fully costed report which will have been given tacit approval by the Local Authorities and Water Companies. We will not start any work which we don’t expect to move you closer to having the estate adopted.
The work in this phase will include:
- Liaison with the adopting authorities to agree a “to-do list”
- Complete and record a visual inspection of the roads and footpaths which will be shared with the Local Authority to ensure they don’t have any unseen issues.
- Carry out CCTV surveys of the drainage and gully network, which will result in a remedials list and eventually the as-built survey for the Water Company.
- Complete an engineering survey of the physical estate which will be compared to the agreed design in the various planning consent documents. This will confirm the estate has been built to the agreed design or generate a list of non-compliances which need to be resolved.
- Review all technical and legal requirements
Phase 3
Adoption Remedials Phase
This phase depends upon the To-Do List created during the Planning Phase and could potentially include:
- Manhole remedials
- Patches or Liners installed in drain runs
- Dig down repairs to damaged sections
- SuDS work – pond and ditch work
- Addressing problems with Pumping Stations, Flood Attenuation Systems, and Outfalls
- Roads, footpaths and communal area remedials and final surfacing
- Street lighting works
- Service diversions and utility works
Phase 4
Delivery Phase
DSS will have engaged with the adopting bodies throughout the Adoption Remedials Phase to ensure the works were to an adoptable standard.
When the works are complete DSS will then work with these bodies to ensure the drains and roads are passed over into the “maintenance phase” which should then release at least a proportion of the Bonds.
This phase is where our experienced management team prove their worth:
- Co-ordinating site visits with the adopting authorities to achieve sign-off for remedial works
- Preparation of Completion Pack with detailed reports and surveys
- Written acceptance of adopting authorities for them taking over responsibility (CDM, O&M, PS Manuals etc) to include obtaining maintenance and/or adoption certificates
- H&S Review
- Confirmation of Easements
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