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Project Enabling Works & Site Preparation
We handle everything before your main works begin – utilities, contamination, archaeology, drainage, ground prep. One partner, fixed fees, construction-ready handover.
Specialist enabling works for developers, main contractors, and construction projects requiring certainty
Every construction project depends on what happens before the first brick gets laid.
Unknown utility locations, suspected contamination, archaeological potential, uncertain ground conditions – any one of these can add months to your programme and 30-50% to your budget when they surface mid-construction.
Get your site properly prepared before main works start
You need confidence that everything’s been found, mapped, and dealt with upfront. Every underground service located. Every environmental risk assessed. Every regulatory approval secured.
We deliver this across the South West, South Wales, and the Thames Valley. Initial surveys through to construction-ready handover with full documentation.
What we can deliver for your site...
Why enabling works projects fail, and why it destroys programmes
The hidden risks that emerge during site prep
There's a smarter approach...
Sites prepared right, every risk managed upfront. One partner handling everything
One partner for everything:
We manage utilities, contamination, archaeology, ecology, drainage, groundworks. You're not coordinating five specialists or managing interface risks.
Fixed fees, no surprises:
Transparent pricing. Clear change control for genuine discoveries, not gaps in our scope.
Know what you're buying:
Site investigation finding utilities, contamination, archaeology, ground conditions before main contract pricing. You know the full picture upfront.
Fast delivery, lower holding costs:
Sites ready in 8-16 weeks depending on complexity, not six months of your capital sitting idle.
Compliance documentation sorted:
Archaeological sign-off, ecological approvals, utility certificates, contamination clearance. Everything for building control and adoption ready.
Main contractors start with certainty:
As-builts, utility diversions mapped, contamination cleared, geotech results provided. They know exactly what they're building on.
Why developers and main contractors choose Highways Plus
You’re managing tight programmes and fixed budgets. You need a partner who gets that enabling works aren’t about what gets built – they’re about preventing the disasters that wreck construction programmes.
What sets us apart
We've seen every nightmare scenario:
Twenty-five years managing complex site prep. Unexpected asbestos? Been there. Uncharted utilities? Fixed it. Archaeological finds? Handled hundreds.
One contact, one team, one invoice:
We coordinate all the specialists. You don’t juggle five different contractors and pray they talk to each other.
You'll know your costs before main tender:
Fixed-fee pricing. You can price your main contract accurately and give confident ROI projections, not vague estimates.
We move fast:
Mobilisation within two weeks. Most enabling works done in 8-16 weeks, with phased handovers so main works can start.
Highway adoption integrated:
Managing Section 278 or Section 38? We handle that alongside enabling works – traffic management, utility coordination, adoption paperwork as one seamless job.
Documentation ready for sign-off:
As-builts, utility certificates, contamination clearance, archaeological discharge, ecological approvals. Everything you need for adoption or building control.
A clear process that de-risks your site
Enabling works need thorough investigation, coordinated specialists, methodical preparation. Full documentation at every stage.
What you get...
Most projects run through phased delivery – surveys and investigations first, establishing the full scope before physical works begin.
Typical timelines: 8-12 weeks for straightforward commercial sites, 12-16 weeks for complex developments with contamination or archaeology, 4-6 weeks for smaller industrial projects.
Site assessment and risk identification:
Desktop study of environmental records, utility maps, planning history, archaeological potential. You get a risk register flagging every enabling requirement before we dig.
Surveys and investigations:
Topographical surveys, Ground Penetrating Radar for utilities, geotechnical testing, contamination assessment, ecological surveys if needed. Complete site knowledge, zero surprises.
Scope and fixed pricing:
Works specification with clear pricing and programme. You approve everything before we start.
Execution and monitoring:
Utility disconnections, contamination remediation, archaeological investigation, drainage installation, ground prep - coordinated phases with regular progress updates.
Handover:
As-builts, utility certificates, contamination clearance, archaeological discharge, geotech results. Main contractors get a fully documented, construction-ready site.
Project enabling works CASE STUDY
Mixed-use development site, Bristol
The Challenge:
- Former industrial site. Suspected contamination, uncharted utilities crossing the development footprint, planning conditions requiring archaeological investigation.
- Developer couldn't price enabling works accurately - contamination extent unknown, utility conflicts uncertain. Main contractor tender pending.
- Separate specialists quoted £45,000 for investigation, with enabling costs estimated between £180,000-£320,000 depending on what they found.
Our Solution:
- Phased approach starting with desktop assessment and non-intrusive surveys - established contamination extent and utility locations before expensive trial pits.
- Ground Penetrating Radar and electromagnetic surveys found all underground services, preventing excavation conflicts. Investigation costs cut 40% through targeted trial pitting.
- Archaeological Written Scheme of Investigation secured planning approval in three weeks. Subsequent trenching completed in five days rather than the anticipated three weeks.
- Fixed-fee enabling package delivered at £165,000 - 35% below initial worst-case estimate, covering all utilities, contamination remediation, archaeology, ground prep.
The Outcome:
- Enabling works completed in 11 weeks against 16-week estimate
- Main contractor mobilised on schedule, zero discovery-phase delays
- Programme accelerated by five weeks, bringing forward practical completion and ROI
- Final costs £165,000 versus £180,000-£320,000 estimate, saving minimum £15,000
Proven delivery across diverse sectors
Whether you’re developing residential, commercial, industrial, or infrastructure projects, you need confidence your site’s fully prepared before main works begin.
Sectors that rely on us:
Residential and mixed-use developments:
Housing developers managing contaminated brownfield sites, utility conflicts, archaeological conditions. Single accountability from acquisition through to construction-ready handover.
Commercial property:
Office parks, retail, business estates requiring ground investigation, utility diversions, drainage infrastructure. Enabling works delivered on fixed programmes keeping fit-out schedules on track.
Industrial and logistics:
Warehouse and distribution sites needing heavy-duty ground prep, utility upgrades, access road construction. Sites ready for immediate mobilisation with full geotechnical validation.
Infrastructure and highways:
Road schemes, junction improvements, public realm works requiring utility diversions, traffic management, Section 278 coordination. Enabling works integrated with adoption requirements.
Public sector and education:
School expansions, healthcare facilities, council developments with strict planning conditions and archaeology. Compliance-focused delivery meeting public procurement standards.
Retail and leisure:
Shopping centres, leisure parks, hospitality developments where phased enabling maintains partial operation. Minimal disruption whilst preparing expansion areas.
Your Project enabling works questions, answered...
How long do enabling works typically take?
Straightforward commercial sites: 8-12 weeks. Complex developments with contamination or archaeology: 12-16 weeks. Smaller infrastructure: 4-6 weeks. We provide detailed timelines at quotation based on your specific site.
What's included in your fixed-fee pricing?
Site investigation, utility mapping and disconnection, contamination assessment, archaeological investigation where required, drainage installation, ground prep, access route construction. Traffic management, waste disposal, specialist subcontractors included. Excludes only genuine unforeseen ground conditions not identifiable through reasonable investigation.
Can you handle complex contamination or archaeology?
Yes. We coordinate licensed asbestos contractors, contaminated land specialists, archaeological consultants as part of our integrated service. Planning conditions requiring Written Schemes of Investigation, ecological surveys, Heritage Impact Assessments – all managed through our established specialist network.
How do you coordinate with utility companies?
We manage all disconnection applications, obtain C3 and C4 permits where required, coordinate site access for utility operators, arrange diversions through direct frameworks or approved contractors. As-builts capture all service locations for main contractor handover.
What if you discover unexpected contamination or archaeology?
Our investigation minimises surprises. If genuine unforeseen conditions emerge, we stop immediately, assess implications with you, provide options with clear cost and programme impacts. No additional work proceeds without your explicit approval.
Do enabling works delay my main contractor mobilisation?
Properly executed enabling accelerates overall programmes by eliminating discovery-phase disasters during main construction. Sites with inadequate prep typically experience 8-16 week delays when utilities, contamination, or archaeology emerge unexpectedly. Our approach front-loads investigation, keeping main works on schedule.
Can you integrate with Section 278 or Section 38 requirements?
Yes. We manage highway adoption simultaneously with enabling works – traffic management, utility diversions affecting adopted highways, adoption documentation. Sites requiring Section 278 for access or Section 38 for new roads get integrated enabling and adoption management.
What documentation do you provide at handover?
As-builts showing all utility diversions in CAD and GIS, disconnection certificates, contamination clearance validation, archaeological discharge, geotech results, traffic management records, waste transfers. Everything needed for building control, adoption authorities, warranty providers.
How quickly can you mobilise?
Desktop assessment and survey scoping: 48 hours. Site investigation mobilisation: typically 7-10 working days. Physical enabling works start: within two weeks of scope approval. Emergency mobilisation available for accelerated programmes.
Need to understand what's required to prepare your site?
Book a Free, No-Obligation Project enabling works Assessment
We’ll review your site, assess enabling requirements, identify risks affecting programme and budget, provide a written report with fixed-fee quotation.
No obligation, no sales pressure – just expert advice from specialists who’ve managed complex site prep across hundreds of development and infrastructure projects.
Call or fill out our form and we'll be in touch within 24 hours.
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