GTC & Direct Save Telecom provides more choice for consumers

GTC wins contract for 3,000 new homes in Cambridgeshire GTC has been awarded a significant contract to provide the essential energy infrastructure for a new community in Cambridgeshire, comprising of over 3,000 new homes, built by Barratt Homes. The prestigious site is land previously owned by the National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB) and the development will take place in three phases, known as NIAB1, 2 and 3. Building work has not yet begun and the first show homes are not expected to be opened until early 2014 but Barratt Homes understood the advantage of contracting early with GTC to secure the energy capacity to serve the development keen, as demand for electricity in the Cambridge area is expected to rise rapidly in the near future. Barratt Homes awarded the contract to GTC having reviewed a selection of options proposed by Utilities Consultants Ltd. Mark Lane, Regional Sales Manager at GTC, says: “With a phased approach to the build and a large number of plots, it is essential that the installation of the utilities infrastructure is carefully planned to ensure energisation occurs to meet the precise schedule of the developer. Securing the necessary utilities early in the project cycle is prudent and does not constrain our ability to flex to the changing needs on the site as it develops. Both Barratt Homes and Utilities Consultants Ltd are well aware of our successful delivery performance and customer service record. These are elements that should never be underestimated as they often have a significant impact on overall cost.” Of the 3,000 plus plots, 40% is allocated as affordable housing. A new library, health facility, primary and secondary school will also be energised by GTC. All housing will meet the agreed environmental standards set out in the code for sustainable homes.GTC wins contract for 3,000 new homes in Cambridgeshire GTC has been awarded a significant contract to provide the essential energy infrastructure for a new community in Cambridgeshire, comprising of over 3,000 new homes, built by Barratt Homes. The prestigious site is land previously owned by the National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB) and the development will take place in three phases, known as NIAB1, 2 and 3. Building work has not yet begun and the first show homes are not expected to be opened until early 2014 but Barratt Homes understood the advantage of contracting early with GTC to secure More >

GTC today announces that it has been contracted to work with Persimmon Homes to deliver truly blazing-fast fibre optic communications, of 300Mbps, to a new housing development in the Norfolk Broads. GTC offers a range of standard packages with speeds from 50Mbs to 300Mbps, vastly exceeding the UK average of 17.8Mbps, as recently reported by Ofcom*, and significantly faster than the Government’s best definition of ‘superfast’, which is for speeds of 24Mbps. The Pastures at Brundall, near Norwich, will have the leading technology, allowing new homeowners to enjoy the fastest internet speeds available. More importantly, the fibre optic network is reliable with the capability of supporting future technological advancements and delivering the increasing bandwidth associated with on-demand services. Deploying fibre all the way to the home will set these properties apart from competition, where even those that boast fibre networks generally still utilise traditional copper cables at least for partial delivery from the local cabinet. GTC is also installing the essential gas and electricity infrastructure to the 150 home development, delivering a seamless utility solution under one agreement, via a single provider. This time and cost effective approach simplifies the onsite construction process for Persimmon Homes. Paul Summers, local Account Manager for GTC, says:  “While many fibre providers install high-speed fibre optic cables to the edge of a development and then rely on the existing copper cables for the last leg of the network, GTC only installs fibre-to-the-home (FTTH). This brings the fibre optic cables right into each home and has the advantages of a consistent, reliable, super-fast service, for every household.” Persimmon Homes’ managing director, Andrew Fuller, added: “The Pastures is situated on the bank of the River Yare, just seven miles from Norwich City centre. Whilst enjoying an enviable rural location in the heart of the Norfolk Broads, it is vital that we also provide our customers with homes fitted with the latest in available technologies. Fibre-to-the-home gives our customers next-generation superfast broadband and provides the flexibility and high-speed access required for both work and leisure. This service will be a key differentiator between our properties and others in the area that rely on slow copper connections.”GTC today announces that it has been contracted to work with Persimmon Homes to deliver truly blazing-fast fibre optic communications, of 300Mbps, to a new housing development in the Norfolk Broads. GTC offers a range of standard packages with speeds from 50Mbs to 300Mbps, vastly exceeding the UK average of 17.8Mbps, as recently reported by Ofcom*, and significantly faster than the Government’s best definition of ‘superfast’, which is for speeds of 24Mbps. The Pastures at Brundall, near Norwich, will have the leading technology, allowing new homeowners to enjoy the fastest internet speeds available. More importantly, the fibre optic network is More >

GTC, the nationwide provider of utility infrastructure to the new build market, has been awarded a Gold Certificate by the International Energy Group (IEG) for successfully completing a period of 18 months with no three-day lost time incidents (LTIs). This is the second time in less than 4 years that GTC has recorded an incident-free period of 18-months without an LTI. Such a good health and safety record is a great achievement for any organisation but especially so where daily work is with live gas and electricity networks on inherently hazardous construction sites. Health & Safety is embedded as the first priority within every employee of GTC, which extends across all areas of operations and not just on site. The company believes that a well trained and experienced workforce is a major factor in its strong health and safety record. Every member of staff has a personal safety improvement target and construction teams are regularly refreshed on safety and technical issues. All GTC’s construction supervisory staff hold IOSH Managing Safely certificates, as well as Construction Skills Certificate Scheme (CSCS) cards, as proof of occupational competence. GTC also holds all four technical accreditations from Lloyd’s, for electricity, gas, water and multi utility. These standards, and the training involved in reaching them, are extremely important to GTC. Clive Linsdell, Managing Director at GTC, says: “We work on a daily basis in higher risk environments and we continuously focus our teams on safe working behaviours. We are very proud to have once again been awarded this accolade, which highlights our commitment to Health & Safety in all areas of the business.” The local community will also benefit from GTC’s health and safety achievement as the company is pleased to donate the prize money associated with the award to local charities.GTC, the nationwide provider of utility infrastructure to the new build market, has been awarded a Gold Certificate by the International Energy Group (IEG) for successfully completing a period of 18 months with no three-day lost time incidents (LTIs). This is the second time in less than 4 years that GTC has recorded an incident-free period of 18-months without an LTI. Such a good health and safety record is a great achievement for any organisation but especially so where daily work is with live gas and electricity networks on inherently hazardous construction sites. Health & Safety is embedded as the More >

GTC has passed the milestone of 500,000 properties connected to its gas and electricity networks. GTC is expanding its connections at a higher rate than any other nationwide provider of utilities infrastructure, making it the fastest growing Independent operator in the UK.   Reaching 500,000 homes connected and actively using its networks is a considerable achievement for an independent provider of energy infrastructure. It shows the increasing number of new-housing developers that recognise the advantages of using an independent provider for gas and electricity connections. This is a further accomplishment for the utilities connections market as a whole and demonstrates the growing competition within the industry, from which house builders are benefiting. The number of repeat contracts awarded to GTC is an indication of the high levels of customer satisfaction achieved.    GTC was set up as an entirely new company in 1995 and reached its first milestone of 250,000 installed connections in 2006.  GTC’s growth has successfully continued through the ups and downs of the housing market, showing the company’s strength and resilience through the recession. As a result, GTC is well-placed to continue to support its customers as the market recovers.     Clive Linsdell, Managing Director at GTC, says: “The success achieved in developing GTC from nothing, to our position today as the UK's leading independent energy infrastructure provider, is testament to our dedicated staff and our commitment to customer services. We have influenced and driven changes in industry regulatory framework to open up the utilities market and make it much more competitive, benefitting house builders with greater freedom of choice.”GTC has passed the milestone of 500,000 properties connected to its gas and electricity networks. GTC is expanding its connections at a higher rate than any other nationwide provider of utilities infrastructure, making it the fastest growing Independent operator in the UK.   Reaching 500,000 homes connected and actively using its networks is a considerable achievement for an independent provider of energy infrastructure. It shows the increasing number of new-housing developers that recognise the advantages of using an independent provider for gas and electricity connections. This is a further accomplishment for the utilities connections market as a whole and demonstrates More >

GTC to power 4,000 new homes in Sheffield City Region.   Independent Distribution Network Operator, GTC, today announces details of the second phase of its work with Harworth Estates on the prestigious Waverley development in Rotherham. Harworth Estates has recently sold the second allocation of development land to Taylor Wimpey, Harron Homes and Barratt Homes for further house building. GTC has already provided the utilities infrastructure network for the first phase of 250 new homes and, under the land contract model with Harworth Estates, will now provide all three housebuilders with fully-serviced land for the next stages. Once all phases of the development have been completed, the utilities network will serve all 4,000 homes and associated businesses and amenities.  Peter Henry, Technical Director, at Harworth Estates, says: “This is the first time we have used an independent provider of utilities infrastructure. In the past we have worked with the incumbent Distribution Network Operator (DNO) for that particular region. “As an independent company, GTC was able to offer time and cost savings, the benefits of flexibility and a high level of customer service but still with a proven track record of success. We are working with GTC under a land contract model where each of the house builders on each phase will have utilities infrastructure provided by GTC. “Ultimately, this means that new homes are finished and powered more quickly.”    Waverley is South Yorkshire’s largest-ever brownfield mixed-use development and is a site of national significance. The 740 acre site is already home to world-class employers such as Rolls-Royce at the UK’s foremost Advanced Manufacturing Park, with 4,000 homes and new public open space to be completed over the next ten to fifteen years. Richard Cheeseman, who is the dedicated point of contact at GTC for the Waverley development, says: “GTC is regularly contracted for licensed area installations, allowing the landowner to offer fully-serviced parcels of land to housebuilders. This is the first time we have worked with Harworth Estates and we are delighted to be going on to deliver utility infrastructure for the second phase of this prestigious development. Harworth Estates’ focus is on adding value to the land it owns and the land contract agreement we have placed allows them to maximise the opportunities at Waverley.” GTC to power 4,000 new homes in Sheffield City Region.   Independent Distribution Network Operator, GTC, today announces details of the second phase of its work with Harworth Estates on the prestigious Waverley development in Rotherham. Harworth Estates has recently sold the second allocation of development land to Taylor Wimpey, Harron Homes and Barratt Homes for further house building. GTC has already provided the utilities infrastructure network for the first phase of 250 new homes and, under the land contract model with Harworth Estates, will now provide all three housebuilders with fully-serviced land for the next stages. Once all phases of More >

In a significant joint initiative, GTC, E.ON and Larkfleet Group, (through their contractors, F E Peacock Construction Ltd) have installed their first dual fuel Smart Meters on a new Council development in Corby, Northamptonshire. The meters bring benefits to house-builders, householders and the environment, more than a year ahead of the start of the government mandated roll out of Smart meters. Nationwide independent network provider, GTC, has put in place all the necessary dual fuel utility infrastructure and E.ON, one of the UK’s leading energy companies, is supplying the gas and electricity. All this is taking place in 30 of Corby Borough Council’s new build properties, constructed by F E Peacock Construction Ltd, just off Mull Drive on the Lodge Park Estate in Corby. The new Council tenants will now benefit from the latest Smart Meter technology for both their gas and electricity supplies. To ensure the success of the project, the team has been working closely with Corby Borough Council. Simon Perkins national new connections manager at E.ON, said: “Smart Metering is an important part of our energy future here in the UK and by 2020 UK government plans to have one in every home. We’re looking forward to continuing our work with Larkfleet Group and other developers in bringing Smart Meters into people’s homes and enabling them to benefit fully from this exciting new technology.” Clive Linsdell, Managing Director at GTC, says: “The two-way communication allowed by Smart Meters means that gas and electricity meters will no longer need to be visited and read in person. The householder will benefit from no more estimated bills, more flexible tariffs and the ability to see exactly how much energy is used at any given time. Any reduction in usage of energy will also have a positive impact on the environment and fuel poverty. GTC installing its first Smart Meters is an important step in providing house-builders with the technologies their customers require and supporting them in meeting their obligations for building lower carbon homes.” Karl Hick, Managing Director of Larkfleet Group, said: “The Smart Metering is a great initiative and we are really pleased to install this path-finding technology with Corby Borough Council, one of our key partners” Corby Borough Council’s Head of Housing, Angela Warburton, said: “We are very pleased to have been able to work with the organisations involved on the initiative and get it up and running in our new Council properties. We are very aware that at the moment it is especially important to our residents to save as much money as possible and keep an eye on where every penny goes. This technology will help them do just that within their own homes and I’m sure will make a big difference to their bills.”In a significant joint initiative, GTC, E.ON and Larkfleet Group, (through their contractors, F E Peacock Construction Ltd) have installed their first dual fuel Smart Meters on a new Council development in Corby, Northamptonshire. The meters bring benefits to house-builders, householders and the environment, more than a year ahead of the start of the government mandated roll out of Smart meters. Nationwide independent network provider, GTC, has put in place all the necessary dual fuel utility infrastructure and E.ON, one of the UK’s leading energy companies, is supplying the gas and electricity. All this is taking place in 30 of More >

GTC announces contract for Upper Heyford - sole provider of FTTH, gas and electricity networks for 1,134 plots. GTC today announces that it has been awarded the contract to provide gas, electricity and fibre-to-the-home infrastructure networks on the redevelopment of Ministry of Defence land at Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire. As part of a combined utility solution, GTC will be providing superfast fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) networks to all new homes on the development. GTC’s fibre solution has been chosen to offer the homeowner the highest available speeds at the lowest possible cost. Paul Summers, Regional Sales Manager at GTC, says: “Unlike fibre to the cabinet (FTTC), fibre to the home does not suffer from declining speeds with distance from the exchange. Laying fibre optic cable right to each home ensures homeowners will be able to enjoy the best of today’s fibre offerings and know that the network is future proofed to support further advances in technology. The fibre connection will be fully installed and ready for use when the homeowner moves in.” Essential gas and electricity infrastructure will also be provided by GTC to a total of 1,134 plots. GTC’s expertise will manage the complex coordination of the removal of redundant infrastructure and construction of new connections to new homes and existing properties. The site is being developed by Bovis Homes and The Dorchester Group. Testament to its strong long-term relationships and proven track record with the leading house builders, GTC has been selected to deliver on this important multi-utility site by both developers. Bovis Homes and The Dorchester Group will benefit from ease of delivery with just one provider for all three services across the entire development.GTC announces contract for Upper Heyford - sole provider of FTTH, gas and electricity networks for 1,134 plots. GTC today announces that it has been awarded the contract to provide gas, electricity and fibre-to-the-home infrastructure networks on the redevelopment of Ministry of Defence land at Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire. As part of a combined utility solution, GTC will be providing superfast fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) networks to all new homes on the development. GTC’s fibre solution has been chosen to offer the homeowner the highest available speeds at the lowest possible cost. Paul Summers, Regional Sales Manager at GTC, says: “Unlike fibre to More >

GTC partners with Sky to offer its fibre-optic broadband customers easy access to Sky TV It is announced today that GTC and Sky have reached an agreement to team up to provide customers on GTC's new-build fibre optic networks with the opportunity to benefit from a market-leading package of premium TV services, fixed-line home phone and broadband speeds of up to 300Mbps. GTC’s super-fast fibre technology displaces the outdated copper-based solutions traditionally installed on new-build developments, and enables its customers the capacity to enjoy the full range of entertainment, home-working and social activities afforded by this 21st-century solution. Sky will offer its full range of premium TV services, including Sky+HD, to those homes who take their fibre broadband from GTC. Customers on GTC’s fibre broadband networks already enjoy the fastest nationally-available speeds, at the lowest equivalent prices. This new-build solution avoids the need for individual satellite dishes and delivers TV and all other services via fibre cables directly into homes, neatly utilising a Fibre Integrated Reception System (FIRS). This comprises a central satellite receiver and aerial array, to serve the whole new-build site.  Andrew Robinson, Commercial Operations Director at GTC, says: "The partnership with Sky means the UK's house builders can be confident that GTC's fibre networks will offer best-in-class services long into the future for the buyers of their new homes.  “GTC has led the way in providing new gas and electricity networks to house builders for many years and this agreement affirms our commitment to providing new telecommunications networks also." Brendan Hegarty, Sky’s Head of Homes and Independent Retail, says: " This relationship with GTC will give owners of new homes across the UK a simple way to get great TV from Sky alongside GTC’s superfast broadband and home phone services. We look forward to making Sky TV available to even more homes through this innovative co-promotion.”  GTC partners with Sky to offer its fibre-optic broadband customers easy access to Sky TV It is announced today that GTC and Sky have reached an agreement to team up to provide customers on GTC's new-build fibre optic networks with the opportunity to benefit from a market-leading package of premium TV services, fixed-line home phone and broadband speeds of up to 300Mbps. GTC’s super-fast fibre technology displaces the outdated copper-based solutions traditionally installed on new-build developments, and enables its customers the capacity to enjoy the full range of entertainment, home-working and social activities afforded by this 21st-century solution. Sky will More >

GTC has pioneered a simple but inspired legal process for the energisation connection between electricity networks. The new development streamlines the legal process, rationalising procedures with a pre-agreed and standardised document that unifies the methods of different companies, incorporates the rights of all parties and removes the need for extra signatories. As the leading independent provider of utility infrastructure and networks, GTC has improved industry procedures by creating a new standardised, Ofgem-supported, ‘incorporated’ legal process.    All six Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) have signed up to the new practice, which is already proving to reduce timescales and costs for house builders by removing unnecessary bureaucracy, which often previously delayed the live electricity connection.    Dave Overman, Network Manager at GTC, explains: “Legals, as they tend to be known, are the legal agreements between the upstream DNO and the Independent Distribution Network Operator (IDNO), required for the completion of each new connection between the two networks. The ‘legals’ assign the ownership of, and responsibility for, all electricity equipment. Until now, each of the DNOs had different legal requirements with varying methods and processes in place. All required legal completion prior to energisation. Inevitably this often led to considerable delays in schedule, complexities causing confusion and excessive legal fees; all of which subsequently resulted in excessive costs borne by the house builder and delays in making live the customer’s new development.” Over the past two years GTC’s Legal Manager Sue Standring has worked with all DNOs and with Ofgem, to pioneer a new ‘incorporated’ legal process for use within England and Wales. The simple but inspired idea has led to GTC incorporating the DNO’s rights within GTC’s transfer or lease document on those sites where GTC will own the substation, meaning that only one legal transaction is used. The pre-agreed rights are set out in a standardised agreement that removes the need for the DNO as a signatory and, if nothing is changed within the document, also removes the need for any DNO involvement throughout the process and completion of the transaction. Since using this procedure, legal costs have been significantly reduced, timescales cut, administration lessened and frustrations for customers removed. Sue says “This work has further strengthened our relationship with the DNOs. Removing the need for a three-party agreement has significantly improved the timescales of gaining legal completion, reduced the administration burden and facilitated a simplified process for house builders.” GTC has now successfully presented this to the industry on behalf of all IDNOs. Every DNO has signed up to using the incorporated legal process, with just three DNOs still finalising the details and full implementation expected across all companies within the next three months. The solution has received very positive feedback from house builders and DNOs, with whom GTC continues to work closely. GTC has pioneered a simple but inspired legal process for the energisation connection between electricity networks. The new development streamlines the legal process, rationalising procedures with a pre-agreed and standardised document that unifies the methods of different companies, incorporates the rights of all parties and removes the need for extra signatories. As the leading independent provider of utility infrastructure and networks, GTC has improved industry procedures by creating a new standardised, Ofgem-supported, ‘incorporated’ legal process.    All six Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) have signed up to the new practice, which is already proving to reduce timescales and costs for house More >

With effect from 4th February 2013 GTC, the UK’s leading independent utility infrastructure company will be undertaking the management of gas and electricity energy networks previously managed by Envoy on behalf of Inexus. In order for your enquiry to be directed correctly, please select from the following options to link through to the appropriate page on the GTC website: Energy Supplier and Shipper If you are an energy supplier or shipper and require access to Supply Point Administration, billing or other supply point related services, please click here. House builder,  Developer or Landowner If you are involved in the construction of new build properties and require information about New enquiry or  quotation request, please click this link for further details.        Site installation of an existing contract, please click this link for further details.          For unmetered supply, please email the information to unmetered supply.    Householder If you are a householder with questions relating to your energy supply or meter, please select from the following links Your Gas Supply.  For current information on gas supply incidents, please see GTC incidents. Your Electricity Supply.  For current information on electricity power cuts or supply incidents, please see GTC incidents. Your Water Supply and current information on supply incidents. Utility Contractors If you require an asset adoption quotation, please click link. With effect from 4th February 2013 GTC, the UK’s leading independent utility infrastructure company will be undertaking the management of gas and electricity energy networks previously managed by Envoy on behalf of Inexus. In order for your enquiry to be directed correctly, please select from the following options to link through to the appropriate page on the GTC website: Energy Supplier and Shipper If you are an energy supplier or shipper and require access to Supply Point Administration, billing or other supply point related services, please click here. House builder,  Developer or Landowner If you are involved in the construction More >

Grainger PLC has awarded GTC the licenced-area contract or ‘land deal’ for the prestigious Berewood development of 2,550 new homes near Waterlooville, in Hampshire. Under this major contract, GTC has been secured as the installer for the gas and electricity infrastructure, and construction will begin this month. GTC will install utilities infrastructure either alongside or prior to the construction of the homes. Grainger's development business focuses on creating value by assembling new-build opportunities, obtaining planning permissions, installing infrastructure and then selling areas of fully-serviced land to house builders for new homes. Fully-serviced land deals offer the advantage of economies of scale and it is sometimes more convenient for house builders to purchase ready-serviced sites. Both the landowner and the house builder benefit from an enhanced opportunity, with reduced costs and shorter timescales allowing new homes to be ready more quickly. Chris Fletcher, Development Project Manager at Grainger plc and leading on the Berewood development: “There are commercial benefits to securing the gas and electricity services to development land, alongside or even before the homes are built. It enables us to add value to the land and reduce the utilities procurement faced by the house builder. The work being carried out to provide the utilities infrastructure at Berewood is complex and wide-reaching. By contracting an expert like GTC to fulfill the whole installation before dividing up the land, the task is efficient, cost effective and lower risk. We were impressed by GTC’s performance record and emphasis on customer service.”    Clive Linsdell, Managing Director at GTC, says: “GTC is regularly contracted for licensed-area installations, which enable the landowner to increase value by offering fully-serviced land. This latest contract with industry-leader Grainger, for a MDA (Major Development Area), cements our position in the market as the largest nationwide provider of utilities infrastructure. Our independent status, performance reputation and customer service record were fundamental in securing this project.” At Berewood, GTC has been contracted by Grainger to provide the gas and electricity connections for 2,500 domestic homes, and 13 commercial plots, including two schools, a medical centre, retail and community facilities. The new electricity network will require GTC to install 18 substations and 3 points of high voltage connection to the upstream network.Grainger PLC has awarded GTC the licenced-area contract or ‘land deal’ for the prestigious Berewood development of 2,550 new homes near Waterlooville, in Hampshire. Under this major contract, GTC has been secured as the installer for the gas and electricity infrastructure, and construction will begin this month. GTC will install utilities infrastructure either alongside or prior to the construction of the homes. Grainger's development business focuses on creating value by assembling new-build opportunities, obtaining planning permissions, installing infrastructure and then selling areas of fully-serviced land to house builders for new homes. Fully-serviced land deals offer the advantage of economies of More >

GTC rolls out land deal for Countryside Properties on Bfl12 development in Cambridge GTC this week completes the complex task of laying high voltage electricity infrastructure across the grounds of the world-renowned Addenbrooke’s Hospital. This is a key step in the development of Countryside Properties’ new community, known as Great Kneighton, in Cambridge. The prestigious new development is on land adjacent to Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge. GTC has secured the contract with Countryside Properties to provide the gas and electricity infrastructure for all 2,550 new homes, as well as community amenities, including new schools, shops and health facilities. Along with the utilities services for individual parcels of land, GTC will also be future-proofing by installing the infrastructure to meet the additional capacity demands required by a growing community. While Countryside Property owns the land it is not the sole housebuilder for the development. Skanska and Bovis Homes have acquired fully-serviced land parcels from Countryside, increasing the variety of new homes on offer at Great Kneighton.  The contract model with GTC has enabled the smooth phasing of this substantial and jointly-developed new community.  Nigel Borrell, Senior Technical Manager at Countryside Properties, says: “The utilities aspect of this development has required careful forward planning by GTC. They have had to liaise with Addenbrooke’s Hospital, which is on the perimeter of the site, and manage the added complexities of a main line railway and a guided bus link. The contract model with GTC has been extremely successful for this multifaceted project. This approach is common place and allows all parties to benefit from the economies of scale, both in financial terms and in the timely completion of the infrastructure, bringing the houses to market.” This is a complex project with the initial infrastructure having to work around the challenges of the newly constructed access road to Addenbrooke’s Hospital. GTC has been able to work in carefully planned stages, first powering street lighting for the new access road, adjacent to the M11 motorway, and then increasing the electricity network, as required, at each phase of the development. The contract model has made it possible for GTC to work for each individual housebuilder but also on the development as a whole. Dave Overman, Electricity Network Manager at GTC, says: “It is important to consider the bigger picture on an intricate development like Great Kneighton. Working under a land deal model, also known as a licenced-area contract, allows us to offer our clients a great deal of flexibility. We are successfully managing to coordinate three different housebuilders, each with their own timings, and several phases of construction. Our client-focused approach is enabling us to meet the demands of this complicated project.”  GTC rolls out land deal for Countryside Properties on Bfl12 development in Cambridge GTC this week completes the complex task of laying high voltage electricity infrastructure across the grounds of the world-renowned Addenbrooke’s Hospital. This is a key step in the development of Countryside Properties’ new community, known as Great Kneighton, in Cambridge. The prestigious new development is on land adjacent to Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge. GTC has secured the contract with Countryside Properties to provide the gas and electricity infrastructure for all 2,550 new homes, as well as community amenities, including new schools, shops and health facilities. Along with the utilities More >

GTC today announces a substantial new contract with Crest Nicholson to install gas and electricity infrastructure at the first site to be awarded under the Homes and Communities Agency’s (HCA’s) ‘Get Britain Building programme’. GTC will provide the utility infrastructure for over 1,100 new-build homes and 70,000 square metres of business floorspace, as well as for shops, a community/sports centre, library, church, health centre and primary school, at the Cheesmans Green development, near Ashford, in Kent. The HCA has granted £2.3m of funding to release 100 new homes as part of the first stage of this phased scheme, which will be known as ‘Stour Meadows’ Clive Linsdell, Managing Director at GTC, says: “The funding will provide a great kick-start to the development and the economic benefits will be felt by the much wider community. The timings of the connections and energisation are crucial as they must coincide precisely with the house builders needs and the programme aims to deliver the much needed new homes. We have, therefore, been working closely with Crest Nicholson and they aim to benefit from our independent status, which allows full control of timescales and costs. GTC works extensively with Crest Nicholson and this significant housing development further cements the strong and well established working relationship. Mark Osborn, Development Executive, at Crest Nicholson comments: “We were pleased to award GTC this contract following their previous performances on existing developments. Their ability to provide project assurance and delivery within our programme is essential, particularly under the HCA’s scheme.” Cheesmans Green has presented numerous challenges as the development has culverts under the main access roads, this means that the mains can not be sited under the road surface. GTC has resolved this issue, proposing to lay mains in bridle paths, which are at a suitable elevation. With further development still being finalised, GTC has designed a network that will allow for possible future expansion. GTC today announces a substantial new contract with Crest Nicholson to install gas and electricity infrastructure at the first site to be awarded under the Homes and Communities Agency’s (HCA’s) ‘Get Britain Building programme’. GTC will provide the utility infrastructure for over 1,100 new-build homes and 70,000 square metres of business floorspace, as well as for shops, a community/sports centre, library, church, health centre and primary school, at the Cheesmans Green development, near Ashford, in Kent. The HCA has granted £2.3m of funding to release 100 new homes as part of the first stage of this phased scheme, which will More >

With effect from 4th February 2013 management and delivery of the on-going construction of gas and electricity utility networks for Connect customers will transfer to GTC. For developments contracted with Connect Utilities Ltd being constructed by Clancy Docwra, there are no changes to your current delivery arrangements. Connect Customers For arranging the installation of your gas and electricity network, please continue to use your existing booking in contact details or alternatively contact GTC on 0845 602 2498 or email workrequests@gtc-uk.co.uk.  All calls and enquiries will be directed to GTC's Developer services team who will schedule all your gas and electricity utility site requirements.  To aid the transition, wherever possible our Developer Services team will arrange for your existing construction team to be deployed to continue to deliver your developments’ utility network.   All of our sites are supported by a locally based Multi Utility Project Manager.  For any changes to your site development and variations to the utility infrastructure network, please discuss with your Project Manager. We are working hard to ensure that the disruption is kept to a minimum over this transition period and your patience is greatly appreciated.With effect from 4th February 2013 management and delivery of the on-going construction of gas and electricity utility networks for Connect customers will transfer to GTC. For developments contracted with Connect Utilities Ltd being constructed by Clancy Docwra, there are no changes to your current delivery arrangements. Connect Customers For arranging the installation of your gas and electricity network, please continue to use your existing booking in contact details or alternatively contact GTC on 0845 602 2498 or email workrequests@gtc-uk.co.uk.  All calls and enquiries will be directed to GTC's Developer services team who will schedule all your gas and electricity utility site More >

New regulations have positive impact for housebuilders. Leading independent provider and operator of utilities infrastructure, GTC, has completed its first ever high voltage IDNO to DNO self connection. In an important step towards true competition, Independent Distribution Network Operators (IDNOs) are now being allowed to make their own high voltage connections to the upstream regional electricity network of the Distribution Network Operators (DNOs). The inaugural IDNO to DNO high voltage connection was made by GTC and its sister company, Power On Connections Ltd, connecting to the UK Power Network supply at a development in Cambridge. As an IDNO, GTC will now continue to own, operate and maintain the new network, serving new homes. GTC has been working closely with the regulators and, Ofgem has gradually been making changes aimed at opening up the utilities market to true and fair competition. For years, GTC has been fully licenced and accredited, with a proven ability to install high and low voltage networks, make service connections and commission substations. Until now, however, the regional DNOs insisted in being directly involved in the final connection between the IDNO and DNO networks. This prevented the IDNOs from freely setting the time and cost schedules with their client, the house builder or developer, as it added a third party to the process and increased bureaucracy. Involved in the first low voltage self connection, which took place at the end of 2011, GTC now holds an accreditation for both low and high voltage self connections. Clive Linsdell, Managing Director of GTC, comments: “IDNOs have always had the same capabilities and competences as DNOs but traditionally DNO’s allowed only themselves to make these connections. This is a case of sensible evolution and is long-overdue. This is the first step in a change of practice which will mean the whole operation of installing utility infrastructure, from quotation to delivery, is now possible through a single organisation, competitively selected based on price and customer service. This will allow house builders and developers to be in full control of the process and schedule the work within the time and cost constraints of the project. With no third party obstructions, it will now be possible for GTC to deliver its higher levels of service at every stage of the process.” As an accredited independent gas transporter, GTC has been carrying out self connections to the upstream gas supply for many years. Dramatic reductions have been seen in delivery timescales and GTC has been able to offer the highest possible standards of customer service. Having made the pioneering first HV self connection, GTC hopes that the practice will become commonplace between IDNO and DNO electricity networks. House builders will see no change in the finished product itself but delivery will be more efficient.New regulations have positive impact for housebuilders. Leading independent provider and operator of utilities infrastructure, GTC, has completed its first ever high voltage IDNO to DNO self connection. In an important step towards true competition, Independent Distribution Network Operators (IDNOs) are now being allowed to make their own high voltage connections to the upstream regional electricity network of the Distribution Network Operators (DNOs). The inaugural IDNO to DNO high voltage connection was made by GTC and its sister company, Power On Connections Ltd, connecting to the UK Power Network supply at a development in Cambridge. As an IDNO, GTC will More >

Nationwide provider of essential utilities infrastructure, GTC, has completed the UK’s first ever independent, low voltage, self connection to the upstream electricity network of a regional Distribution Network Operator (DNO). Under an industry-changing pilot scheme, GTC carried out the inaugural self connection to the upstream electricity supply on a development in Burnley. Until now, regional DNOs insisted upon being directly involved in the final network connection process, preventing Independent Distribution Network Operators (IDNOs) from fulfilling their role as a truly independent solution. Having to rely on the DNO for the actual main connection has historically proved critical to customer service and the delivery timescale. The additional link in the chain often results in protracted schedules and increased costs for builders and developers.  Clive Linsdell, Managing Director of GTC, comments: “While it is great news that IDNOs are now permitted to make self connections to the DNO’s network, the procedure itself is not new or pioneering. GTC has been providing electricity networks for many years, installing and energising high and low  voltage mains, making service connections and commissioning substations. It is only the connection made between the IDNO and the DNO electricity infrastructure that has been subject to additional controls. Self connection to the upstream DNO is a simple and long-overdue process. We foresee the change in practice resulting in an improved service for house builders, with fewer delays and failures.”  Accredited independent gas transporters have been carrying out self connections for many years and dramatic reductions have been seen in delivery timescales as well as great improvements to customer service. Clive Linsdell continues: “We are delighted that routine practices in the electricity sector are starting to catch up with other utilities.” GTC’s own team made the industry-changing, low voltage, metered, live-jointing, self connection in close communication with the regional DNO, Electricity North West. Following this successful trial, other DNO regions are now initiating similar pilot schemes to help open up competition within the electricity connections market, as required by the industry regulator Ofgem. GTC hopes that by the end of 2012 it will be common practice for IDNOs to make low and high voltage self-connections to the DNO’s upstream network. The change in approach means the whole operation of installing utility infrastructure, from quotation to delivery, is now possible through a single company, competitively selected based on price and customer service. This puts house builders and developers in full control of the process, allowing the work to be scheduled within the time and cost constraints of the project and with much higher levels of service. Nationwide provider of essential utilities infrastructure, GTC, has completed the UK’s first ever independent, low voltage, self connection to the upstream electricity network of a regional Distribution Network Operator (DNO). Under an industry-changing pilot scheme, GTC carried out the inaugural self connection to the upstream electricity supply on a development in Burnley. Until now, regional DNOs insisted upon being directly involved in the final network connection process, preventing Independent Distribution Network Operators (IDNOs) from fulfilling their role as a truly independent solution. Having to rely on the DNO for the actual main connection has historically proved critical to customer service More >

GTC launches 300Mbps as standard GTC today officially launches its fastest-ever broadband service, offering reliable speeds of 300Mbps over its Fibre-to-the-Home network. With the most recent Ofcom figures* showing that the average UK broadband speed is 17.8Mbps, GTC’s service offering for new-build properties far exceeds the ‘Superfast’ classification of 24Mbps, and significantly exceeds even the 100Mbps required to be deemed ‘Ultrafast’. Furthermore, all of GTC’s installations are Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) and do not rely on traditional copper cables for the final leg of delivery from the roadside cabinet. This means that the homeowner receives the remarkable 300Mbps broadband service for which they have paid and the housebuilder benefits from a major selling feature, which is simple and cost-effective to provide. James Bland is a homeowner at the a new development in Peterborough built by Bovis Homes and supplied with FTTH by GTC. Mr James Bland says: “The broadband speed was a factor in us buying the house. It is now vital to have reliable, high-speed communications in the home. So much of life is carried out online, be it work, banking, shopping or socialising. The fact that GTC provides Fibre-to-the-Home, means that we all receive  the same blazing-fast service, rather than anyone living further into the development suffering from reduced speeds.”    Fibre optic cables are able to offer limitless speeds of delivery. Providing FTTH means that a development is future-proofed and that homeowners will have the service to support new technologies and requirements in years to come. GTC’s FTTH solution provides customers with some of the highest available speeds, at a very competitive price.    Tom Brough, Sales and Marketing Director at GTC, says: “We provide ultrafast broadband right into each and every new home, with speeds and reliability that vastly out-perform those advertising fibre but using copper cables for the ‘last mile’ of the network. We offer a range of service packages to suit individual customers’ requirements and they can choose from one of our unlimited download options offering either 50Mbps, 100Mbps or 300Mbps speeds. This high level of service will be provided to every new property we supply.”  GTC launches 300Mbps as standard GTC today officially launches its fastest-ever broadband service, offering reliable speeds of 300Mbps over its Fibre-to-the-Home network. With the most recent Ofcom figures* showing that the average UK broadband speed is 17.8Mbps, GTC’s service offering for new-build properties far exceeds the ‘Superfast’ classification of 24Mbps, and significantly exceeds even the 100Mbps required to be deemed ‘Ultrafast’. Furthermore, all of GTC’s installations are Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) and do not rely on traditional copper cables for the final leg of delivery from the roadside cabinet. This means that the homeowner receives the remarkable 300Mbps broadband service for which More >

GTC Milestone for SMART Meters With strong incentives for all involved parties, GTC pioneered the installation of Smart capable Meters on their independent gas networks. In January 2012 GTC installed 1,000th smart meters and to date has been contracted to connect a further 7,000 smart meters, more than two years ahead of the start of the government’s mandated roll-out programme. Smart Meters have a positive environmental impact as they have the ability to make users aware of their energy consumption. Barratt Homes took advantage of this new offering and was among the first to have Smart capable gas Meters connected to GTC’s independent network, on its Dukes Park development at Bilston, Wolverhampton. Graydon Worthing, Sales Director at Barratt West Midlands, says: “We were very keen for GTC to install Smart Meters in the new homes at Bilston. Installing the meters has positive effects all round. It helps us towards credits to achieve compliance under the Code for Sustainable Homes. They enable our customers to save money on their utilities bills. And of course, it is the environmentally responsible thing to do.” Housebuilders who have appreciated the cost and efficiency of using an independent distribution gas transporter (IGT) are now able to combine these benefits with the opportunity to offer smart meters to new home-owners. Clive Linsdell, Managing Director - GTC, “Our house building customers value the greater flexibility they have with us, as an independent infrastructure provider, and we believe many of our customers will be pleased to obtain the advantages of Smart meters now rather than wait until 2014 when the programme to exchange the existing 50 million non-smart meters fitted in the UK is due to start. Benefits of SMART Meters Smart meters bring benefits to house-builders, the environment and homeowners alike: House-builders This initiative supports house-builders in meeting their obligations for building lower-carbon homes and in claiming credits towards the Code for Sustainable Homes. Housebuilders can also offer potential buyers the added value and incentive of being able to monitor and reduce their energy usage.  Environment Any reduction in usage of energy will of course have a positive impact on the environment. This is the main aim of the Government’s initiative, which hopes to change customer behavior by making users aware of their energy consumption and therefore their ability to control usage more effectively. Homeowners The two-way communication allowed by smart meters means that gas and electricity meters no longer need to be visited and read in person. The householder benefits from no more estimated bills, more flexible tariffs and the ability to see exactly how much energy is used at any given time. This enables a reduction in any power wastage, resulting in lower bills; particularly vital for the estimated 21% of households classed as being in fuel poverty (spending more than 10% of their income on fuel to maintain satisfactory heating)*GTC Milestone for SMART Meters With strong incentives for all involved parties, GTC pioneered the installation of Smart capable Meters on their independent gas networks. In January 2012 GTC installed 1,000th smart meters and to date has been contracted to connect a further 7,000 smart meters, more than two years ahead of the start of the government’s mandated roll-out programme. Smart Meters have a positive environmental impact as they have the ability to make users aware of their energy consumption. Barratt Homes took advantage of this new offering and was among the first to have Smart capable gas Meters connected to GTC’s More >

GTC has been awarded a significant contract by Mulberry Homes for its new development in Thirsk, Yorkshire. The infrastructure networks for gas, electricity, water and super-fast fibre will be installed by GTC at the 925-plot development known as Sowerby Gateway. This contract is significant because it highlights how GTC has extended its traditional utilities offering, adding market leading super-fast fibre-optic services with Broadband speeds of up to 300Mbps available to the new home owners. GTC is the only provider of new utility networks able to deliver all four essential utilities together in the UK. Mulberry has selected GTC as its preferred utilities provider for this very reason: fibre optic networks are the future-proof solution able to support ever higher speeds and well beyond 300Mbps as the requirements of 21st century life evolve during future decades. This was important to Mulberry. This future-proof solution also avoids the need for individual satellite dishes, and delivers TV and all other services via fibre cables directly into homes, neatly utilising a Fibre Integrated Reception System (FIRS) comprising a central satellite receiver and aerial array to serve the whole site. Mulberry recognises too the value of GTC’s being independent, offering flexibility of scheduling of works to suit their build programme, high-quality service and good value for money. Richard Cheeseman, Regional Sales Manager for GTC, says: "Super-fast and reliable broadband is now so important to home buyers that statistics show they are prepared to pay more for a home with fibre optic broadband and will even decide against an otherwise beautiful home if it is not serviced by super-fast broadband. We have broken the monopoly when it comes to gas and electricity connections and we now wish to support house builders with independent provision of the fastest and most reliable fibre networks."GTC has been awarded a significant contract by Mulberry Homes for its new development in Thirsk, Yorkshire. The infrastructure networks for gas, electricity, water and super-fast fibre will be installed by GTC at the 925-plot development known as Sowerby Gateway. This contract is significant because it highlights how GTC has extended its traditional utilities offering, adding market leading super-fast fibre-optic services with Broadband speeds of up to 300Mbps available to the new home owners. GTC is the only provider of new utility networks able to deliver all four essential utilities together in the UK. Mulberry has selected GTC as its More >

More choice on GTC's Fibre Network GTC has announced that from today householders will have more choice of broadband and phone provider via its market leading Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) networks.  Direct Save Telecom, an Independent Internet Service Provider (ISP) is now offering a range of low-cost voice and broadband services with the lowest price offer of broadband at just £4.95 per month. Together, the two providers will offer householders the very best quality service in terms of speeds and value for money. GTC is the market-leading utility infrastructure provider to the UK new-build market. The company provides open access to its fibre networks to those Internet Service Providers offering a full range of competitive packages to householders. GTC’s Fibre-to-the-Home networks deliver to householders some of the fastest and most reliable broadband speeds (up to 300Mbps) available in the UK and enable customers to take full advantage of high-speed connectivity, whether for home working, downloading content or on-line gaming.  GTC’s FTTH network does not suffer the speed deterioration or contention issues associated with out-dated copper connections which are still being installed today by other providers. GTC’s open access fibre-optic networks are managed by Independent Fibre Networks Ltd, (IFNL). It is this open access to Internet Service Providers which has enabled Direct Save Telecom to team up with GTC. Direct Save Telecom is very pleased to be working together with GTC to bring additional choice and increased service options to residential customers via FTTH. * Direct Save Telecom’s CEO, Stavros Tsolakis, stated: ‘I am excited to be offering our low-cost, quality service across GTC’s Fibre-to-the-Home networks on new-build housing developments.  Our prices compare favourably to other service providers delivering over a copper or Fibre-to-the-Cabinet network.  We have already had excellent feedback which reflects the quality of the product and the very competitive pricing levels.’ Andrew Robinson, GTC’s Fibre Business Director commented: ‘This is great news for both our house builders and their customers who already enjoy the benefits of our FTTH network.  With Direct Save offering services across our networks it not only increases customers’ choice of service provider but also gives them access to the very best voice and broadband services at the lowest available prices in the market.’ *Direct Save offers a range of products to suit customers requirements with unlimited downloads and speeds from 25Mbps up to 300Mbps.  Customers’ packages start from as little as £4.95 per month free for the first three months which also includes free weekend telephone calls. More choice on GTC's Fibre Network GTC has announced that from today householders will have more choice of broadband and phone provider via its market leading Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) networks.  Direct Save Telecom, an Independent Internet Service Provider (ISP) is now offering a range of low-cost voice and broadband services with the lowest price offer of broadband at just £4.95 per month. Together, the two providers will offer householders the very best quality service in terms of speeds and value for money. GTC is the market-leading utility infrastructure provider to the UK new-build market. The company provides open access to its More >

GTC and Sky partnership to service new homes in Reading A partnership between GTC and Sky, collectively offering a unique package of superfast fibre broadband (GTC) and premium TV services (Sky), is due to service homes at a popular new Bellway Homes development in Reading, it was announced today.  GTC has been awarded the contract to provide gas, electricity and fibre-to-the-home infrastructure networks on the site, which features a range of homes and apartments. GTC and Sky have today revealed that as a result of their partnership, the new homeowners will have the opportunity to benefit from a market-leading package of premium TV services from Sky and fixed-line home phone and broadband speeds of up to 300Mbps will be supplied by GTC’s fibre optic network, both services will be available to them from the day they move into the property. Plans for the new Kings Mead development at Kenavon Drive, on the outskirts of Reading town centre, include the construction of 192 stylish properties, ranging from 1 bedroom flats to 4 bedroom detached family houses, all with excellent amenities and leisure facilities nearby.  In addition to providing electricity infrastructure to the properties, and gas to many, GTC will run fibre optic cables directly to each home.   Using a Fibre Integrated Reception System (FIRS) installed by GTC, Sky will deliver premium TV services including Sky+ and HD. The FIRS comprises a central satellite receiver and aerial array which is integral to providing the service and will serve the whole site.  Claire McGoldrick, Area Sales Manager, at Bellway Homes comments:  “Kings Mead has been carefully planned to ensure residents enjoy all the benefits of living within a stone’s throw of the vibrant town centre.  The location offers great shopping, dining and transport links, as well as proximity to a number of good schools.  “However, it’s clear that the provision of utilities such as gas and electricity, along with premium broadband and TV services, plays an essential role in creating a high standard of modern living.” Tom Brough, Sales & Marketing Director at GTC comments: “By providing the site with a superior fibre-to-the-home infrastructure, we are ensuring that homeowners can enjoy the very best in broadband, for both now and in the future.  Unlike other providers who install what is referred to as a superfast connection, our network is fibre all the way into the home, without using any outdated copper.” Paul Dickinson, Director of Sky Homes, says: "We are delighted to be involved in the Kings Mead development, helping to provide this new community with first class TV services.” To find out more about Sky Communal TV solutions go to sky.com/communaltv or call 08442 411 335.GTC and Sky partnership to service new homes in Reading A partnership between GTC and Sky, collectively offering a unique package of superfast fibre broadband (GTC) and premium TV services (Sky), is due to service homes at a popular new Bellway Homes development in Reading, it was announced today.  GTC has been awarded the contract to provide gas, electricity and fibre-to-the-home infrastructure networks on the site, which features a range of homes and apartments. GTC and Sky have today revealed that as a result of their partnership, the new homeowners will have the opportunity to benefit from a market-leading package More >

Leading independent utilities infrastructure provider, GTC, has been awarded the contract by Bovis Homes for Winchester Village, an exciting new development in the Hampshire city. The deal sees GTC installing fibre-to-the-home technology into every new home, bringing fast, reliable broadband connections, as well as free Sky TV for 12 months. A multi-utilities provider, GTC will also be supplying the connections for the more traditional utilities of gas and electricity. Bovis Homes’ Regional Marketing Manager, Candice McCabe, says: “GTC is providing us with fibre-ready homes so there is no wait for the fibre connection once the homeowner has moved in. This is very convenient for our customers and the fibre-to-the-home technology offers the reliable and fast internet access demanded in today’s market. It fits in perfectly with the vision we have for this exciting, modern location.” Winchester Village is significant in terms of the technology employed, and the vision of GTC, Bovis Homes and Hampshire County Council.   Councillor Roy Perry, Leader of Hampshire County Council, explains: “It is very encouraging to see that the collaborative work we are doing with housing developers, internet service providers and district councils - to ensure that everyone moving into a new house in Hampshire has access to superfast broadband from day one -  is paying off.  We are committed to Hampshire’s prosperity, and access to superfast broadband for residents and businesses is a crucial element to the future prospects of Hampshire.  “The good progress we are making with our rural broadband programme will see an additional 97,000 existing homes and businesses in Hampshire connected to superfast broadband by 2018 - so it really is important that any new homes have superfast broadband – and are not left behind.” GTC will be installing a Fibre Integrated Reception System (FIRS). This means that satellite television can be received on one community dish, with the television signal transmitted via the fibre-to-the-home network. This removes the need for unsightly satellite dishes on each property, ensures a high quality signal and, through GTC’s partnership with Sky, means Bovis Homes will be able to offer new homeowners premium TV services including Sky+ and SkyHD, as part of a moving-in package. Tom Brough, Sales and Marketing Director at GTC, says, “Both FTTH and FIRS are excellent solutions for new developments. Fibre-to-the-home brings reliable high-speed broadband services directly into each home and, together with the FIRS technology and our partnership offering free SKYTV for 12 months, homeowners can also receive a wide range of TV services. In today’s competitive market, these give house builders a real edge.”Leading independent utilities infrastructure provider, GTC, has been awarded the contract by Bovis Homes for Winchester Village, an exciting new development in the Hampshire city. The deal sees GTC installing fibre-to-the-home technology into every new home, bringing fast, reliable broadband connections, as well as free Sky TV for 12 months. A multi-utilities provider, GTC will also be supplying the connections for the more traditional utilities of gas and electricity. Bovis Homes’ Regional Marketing Manager, Candice McCabe, says: “GTC is providing us with fibre-ready homes so there is no wait for the fibre connection once the homeowner has moved in. This More >

Leading provider of independent utilities connections, GTC, has won Gold in the RoSPA Occupational Health and Safety Awards 2015. The Gold award has been received under the prestigious annual scheme run by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), based on GTC’s outstanding occupational health and safety performance. involvement. David Rawlins, RoSPA’s awards manager, said: “The RoSPA Awards encourage improvement in occupational health and safety management. Organisations that gain recognition for their health and safety management systems, such as GTC, contribute to raising standards overall and we congratulate them.” Allan Davies, Group Safety, Health, Environment and Quality Manager at GTC, said: “Health and safety is our number one priority but it is always good to receive outside recognition of our hard work and commitment, especially from such a well-respected organisation. The requirements for reaching the Gold award are rigorous, involving a review of comprehensive supporting evidence of safety management systems and performance. The benefit to our staff is clear but the award also benefits our customers in terms of their confidence in our exacting standards.”  The RoSPA Awards, which date back 59 years, recognise commitment to continuous improvement in accident and ill health prevention at work. Through the scheme, which is open to businesses and organisations of all types and sizes from across the UK and overseas, judges consider entrants’ overarching occupational health and safety management systems, including practices such as leadership and workforce involvement. See www.rospa.com/awards/ for more information about the RoSPA Occupational Health and Safety Awards.Leading provider of independent utilities connections, GTC, has won Gold in the RoSPA Occupational Health and Safety Awards 2015. The Gold award has been received under the prestigious annual scheme run by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), based on GTC’s outstanding occupational health and safety performance. involvement. David Rawlins, RoSPA’s awards manager, said: “The RoSPA Awards encourage improvement in occupational health and safety management. Organisations that gain recognition for their health and safety management systems, such as GTC, contribute to raising standards overall and we congratulate them.” Allan Davies, Group Safety, Health, Environment and Quality Manager More >

Story Homes awards contract to independent infrastructure provider, GTC, to deliver Fibre To The Home (FTTH) technology to its prestigious new West Cumbrian development.  Story Homes is developing a new estate of over 550 units in Whitehaven and has appointed GTC to supply FTTH broadband and telephone services across the site, offering exception broadband speeds. Adding value, GTC’s FTTH technology provides both voice and broadband services of a quality that house purchasers are actively looking for. In terms of its location, the Whitehaven development has a significance disproportionate to its size. At 550 units, this is a large development for Cumbria and GTC is pleased to be appointed by Story to be a provider to such a regionally high-profile concern. An initial phase of 30 executive homes, to be known as Wilson Howe, is currently underway, with the first houses planned to be ready for occupation in January 2016. A further 109 units will form the first phase of an adjacent  development named Edgehill Park. All homeowners will be able to benefit from fibre-ready homes, where they can simply plug-in to the high-speed broadband services as soon as they move in. In addition, through GTC’s partnership with Sky, Story Homes will be able to offer new homeowners premium TV services including Sky+ and SkyHD, free for 12 months, as part of a moving-in package. Louise McGuckin, Sales Director for Story Homes said: “We have had great pleasure in working alongside GTC to deliver superfast broadband to our customers on this exclusive development in Whitehaven. Our customers are looking for the wow factor and coupled with the high quality and high specification of the homes at Wilson Howe and Edgehill Park, a hi-tech offering fit for the next-generation is appealing to buyers of our homes. This offers them some of the fastest broadband of any new housing development, and also cutting edge telephony, using fibre to the home services, making slow, unreliable connections a thing of the past.” Tom Brough, Sales and Marketing Director, at GTC, comments: “We are aware that homeowners not only want the highest speed and most reliable fibre connections but also that they need it to be available from the moment they step over their new threshold. We provide this service to help housebuilders to meet with their customers’ demands and to provide that essential unique selling point.” Story Homes awards contract to independent infrastructure provider, GTC, to deliver Fibre To The Home (FTTH) technology to its prestigious new West Cumbrian development.  Story Homes is developing a new estate of over 550 units in Whitehaven and has appointed GTC to supply FTTH broadband and telephone services across the site, offering exception broadband speeds. Adding value, GTC’s FTTH technology provides both voice and broadband services of a quality that house purchasers are actively looking for. In terms of its location, the Whitehaven development has a significance disproportionate to its size. At 550 units, this is a large development for More >

GTC today announces the signing of two new contracts to deliver Fibre to the Home to developments in London and High Wycombe. This comes on the back of a series of fibre milestones: The new contracts are with Lendlease, for a development of 333 homes at Glasshouse Gardens in Stratford, London, and with Taylor Wimpey for 441 homes at Pine Trees, High Wycombe, close to the Taylor Wimpey head office. Offering fibre-to-the-home technology since 2008, GTC has secured significant market share from BT in the new-build market and works with all of the top three house builders - Barratt Homes, Persimmon Homes and Taylor Wimpey - and the majority of the top ten – including Bovis Homes, Bellway Homes and J S Bloor. A trusted partner offering telephone and broadband services, all of GTC’s broadband connections are fibre-to-the-home, meaning that ultra-fast, future-proof fibre broadband speeds are delivered right into each and every home, rather than relying on traditional copper cables for the ‘last mile’ service. Jonathan Miller, Technical Director, Taylor Wimpey, explains: “All the houses on our development have the same high speed, reliable fibre connection. Homeowners know that the fibre technology is future-proofed, in that fibre-to-the-home offers virtually limitless speeds. As the homeowners’ online needs increase, be it for work or pleasure, the fibre network will provide equally ultra-fast speed and reliability for both uploads and downloads, as well as enabling everyone in the house to enjoy the same levels of service at the same time. This is a key differentiator between our homes and others in the area.” High-speed fibre connections are becoming increasingly important to potential home owners. Misan Akporiaye, Development Manager from Lendlease, comments: “The latest figures from Ofcom show that the average broadband speed is currently around 23Mbps. GTC is offering our customers 300Mbps, as standard. With ever increasing customer demand for reliable broadband, this is not something we can afford to ignore.”  Through GTC’s partnership with Sky, Lendlease and Taylor Wimpey will be able to offer new homeowners Sky’s Original Bundle as part of a moving-in package, free for 12 months. Added to this, GTC is providing a Fibre Integrated Reception Systems (FIRS), which eliminate unsightly individual satellite dishes on each new-build home. GTC’s FIRS system delivers TV services via fibre cables, directly into homes, neatly utilising a single central satellite receiver and aerial array, to serve the whole site.  GTC’s fibre networks expand from Inverness to Exeter, including in the ultra-fast capital of London.  GTC today announces the signing of two new contracts to deliver Fibre to the Home to developments in London and High Wycombe. This comes on the back of a series of fibre milestones: The new contracts are with Lendlease, for a development of 333 homes at Glasshouse Gardens in Stratford, London, and with Taylor Wimpey for 441 homes at Pine Trees, High Wycombe, close to the Taylor Wimpey head office. Offering fibre-to-the-home technology since 2008, GTC has secured significant market share from BT in the new-build market and works with all of the top three house builders - Barratt Homes, More >

GTC is pleased to announce that another Service Provider (SP) has signed up to offer services to customers on GTC’s open access network. This newest addition is Love Your Broadband, which brings its own individual offering to homeowners served by GTC’s fibre network. GTC is committed to ensuring that customers connected to any of its networks have a wide choice of suppliers and products. Love Your Broadband is not only adding five voice and broadband packages of varying speeds but also a range of call plans and an attractive Sky TV offering. These combine into a compelling offer to make to homeowners, as Love Your Broadband marketing manager, Ben Kennedy, explains: “We are extremely interested in having access to the new-build market for our services. As the newest service providers on the network, Love Your Broadband is pleased to be offering ultrafast broadband and half-price Sky TV to residents, with a focus on providing a reliable and quality service.” As more companies like Love Your Broadband join with GTC, so the choice of telephone and broadband packages available to homeowners increases. ‘We are now in a position where GTC’s FTTH network makes it possible for customers to access packages to suit all budgets and needs,’ comments GTC’s sales director, Tom Brough.’Our open access policy and ultrafast speeds have made it a win/win situation for provider and for customer, something that Love Your Broadband clearly recognises.’ GTC’s ultrafast network, enhances the housebuilder’s offer to house buyers who can enjoy the benefits and choice offered by service providers such as Love Your Broadband at speeds unrivalled in the new build sector.GTC is pleased to announce that another Service Provider (SP) has signed up to offer services to customers on GTC’s open access network. This newest addition is Love Your Broadband, which brings its own individual offering to homeowners served by GTC’s fibre network. GTC is committed to ensuring that customers connected to any of its networks have a wide choice of suppliers and products. Love Your Broadband is not only adding five voice and broadband packages of varying speeds but also a range of call plans and an attractive Sky TV offering. These combine into a compelling offer to make More >

Vfast Internet is latest SP to join GTC’s ultrafast fibre network GTC today announces that it is now able to offer homeowners even more choice as Vfast Internet signs to become the latest service provider (SP) to deliver broadband on GTC’s ultrafast open access network.   GTC provides fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) broadband and telecoms networks for new-build housing developments across the UK. It is committed to ensuring that customers connected to its networks have a wide choice of suppliers and products – an important selling point for any new home. GTC’s ultrafast network is fully fibre, all the way into every property. This is unlike a number of alternative providers, whose ‘fibre’ based offers only relate to the connection to the street-side cabinet. This is known as fibre-to-the-cabinet (FTTC), where the connection to the home is still an old fashioned copper wire, providing top speeds of less than 40Mbps. Speeds on FTTC networks will always be constrained, unlike GTC’s fibre-to-the-home network, which gives ultrafast speeds today and can be increased further as customers’ demands inevitably increase. Vfast Internet is adding a choice of four packages to GTC’s FTTH network, with a range of prices to suit different requirements. The choice of telecoms and broadband packages on GTC’s networks is growing all the time, offering more options for homeowners. “Our strategy of open access and our ultra-fast fibre-to-the-home networks make GTC an appealing option for service providers and housebuilders alike,” explains Tom Brough, Sales Director at GTC. “Home buyers now view having fast and reliable broadband as being as essential as having water and electricity, and the savvy buyer expects to have a choice of providers.” Rebecca Brown, Managing Director of Vfast Ltd, comments: “Providing a service on GTC’s fibre network gives us greater access to the fast-growing new-build market across the UK. We are able to offer new home owners a variety of high quality broadband packages and have been doing so for nearly a decade. The open access networks installed by GTC increase the options for competition in the fibre broadband market, which benefits house builders and homeowners.” Vfast Internet offers customers a range of added extras alongside its reliable, ultrafast broadband products. These include free voice lines, no monthly traffic limits, free webspace and email addresses.Vfast Internet is latest SP to join GTC’s ultrafast fibre network GTC today announces that it is now able to offer homeowners even more choice as Vfast Internet signs to become the latest service provider (SP) to deliver broadband on GTC’s ultrafast open access network.   GTC provides fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) broadband and telecoms networks for new-build housing developments across the UK. It is committed to ensuring that customers connected to its networks have a wide choice of suppliers and products – an important selling point for any new home. GTC’s ultrafast network is fully fibre, all the way into every property. This More >

HBF agrees national ultrafast fibre to the premise deal with GTC for new homes The Home Builders Federation (HBF) and GTC have agreed a national deal for HBF members to provide “Ultrafast” fibre to the premise to new-build homes nationwide. GTC’s UltraStream300 fibre network enables house builders to provide their customers with the services they demand from a 21st century new home, with speeds of 300Mbps available now, and ready for 1Gbps when future higher speeds are needed by households.  New homeowners will also benefit from a fixed line phone service, discounted Sky TV packages and a wide choice of broadband packages currently from four independent service providers.  GTC also offers an attractive commercial package to ensure house builders will not face higher costs by choosing GTC’s market-leading UltraStream300 fibre network, achieved via a competitive structure of rebates payable to HBF members on connection. As the trusted utility provider over many years and for many HBF members, GTC’s open-access fibre network is delivered as part of a multi-utility installation ensuring live connections for all utilities, including fibre, are made prior to the new homeowner moving in.  This bundled multi-utility approach gives house builders a straightforward and reliable service for their utility requirements, simplifying the installation, coordination and management of networks via one provider. Full details of the HBF agreement and technical guides can be found on GTC’s website and on GTC’s customer portal, GTC Live.  The offer incorporates unlimited free site assessments, dedicated site technical management and after sales benefits which include product training, promotional marketing material and a complementary sales-suite ultrafast broadband connection.   Peter Andrew, HBF’s Deputy Chairman commented, ‘Broadband speed is seen by many home buyers as being absolutely essential to  the way we live and communicate today.  House builders have the challenge of ensuring their new homes keep pace with future advances and the GTC agreement provides HBF Members with another option for a service that exceeds these demands today, but importantly futureproofs new homes for the greater demands to come.’  Clive Linsdell, GTC’s CEO said, “GTC is delighted to offer HBF members a market leading Fibre-to-the-Premise product, backed by the familiar long-term reliability of GTC’s service delivery.  Many HBF members rely on our service to ensure housing completions are made on time, and we are pleased to extend the benefits of GTC’ s services into Telecoms where reliable service is also much needed”. HBF agrees national ultrafast fibre to the premise deal with GTC for new homes The Home Builders Federation (HBF) and GTC have agreed a national deal for HBF members to provide “Ultrafast” fibre to the premise to new-build homes nationwide. GTC’s UltraStream300 fibre network enables house builders to provide their customers with the services they demand from a 21st century new home, with speeds of 300Mbps available now, and ready for 1Gbps when future higher speeds are needed by households.  New homeowners will also benefit from a fixed line phone service, discounted Sky TV packages and a wide choice of More >

Stanton Cross future-proofed for Fibre and Electricity Leading utilities infrastructure provider, GTC, today announces a new contract for the provision of gas, electricity and fibre networks to a major residential-led development by Bovis Homes in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire. Stanton Cross, a £900m development of 3,650 homes and 1.55m sq ft of commercial space will be future-proofed by GTC in terms of both the electricity and fibre connections. GTC will make the electricity connection from the primary substation which is expected to serve all the planned homes and commercial properties. To future-proof the electricity provision for the development, however, and provide for potential further homes should they go ahead, GTC will also install a second duct to allow for the installation of a new, GTC-owned, primary substation onsite. GTC’s fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) solution has the capacity to allow for infinite download and upload speeds. Fibre-optic cables, which offer virtually limitless speeds, bring fibre technology right into each and every home. Whilst some other fibre networks only install to the nearest street cabinet and then continue the service with restrictive copper cables to the home, GTC’s FTTH system brings fibre optics to where they are needed: in the home. Furthermore, to banish unsightly satellite dishes and aerials, GTC will be installing a Fibre Integrated Reception System (FIRS). This means that satellite and digital television can be received via a community dish and aerial, with the television signal transmitted by the fibre-to-the-home network. This removes the need for dishes and aerials on each property, yet ensures a high quality signal. Tom Brough, Sales and Marketing Director at GTC, said: “It is important to GTC that we are able to offer future-proofed, multi-utility solutions to benefit new communities for many years to come. It also makes a great deal of sense for house builders  to be able to obtain all essential utilities through one reliable provider in order to ensure new home completions are delivered on time and on budget.” When complete, Stanton Cross will significantly transform Wellingborough with new homes, improved infrastructure, community facilities and green open space. The development, which is being delivered by Bovis Homes, will be the largest growth Wellingborough has seen since the 1960s and, alongside new homes, it will create in excess of 3,000 jobs and provide new commercial facilities for leisure, retail, industrial and professional service businesses. John Lougher, Bovis Homes Group Land Director responsible for Stanton Cross, commented:  “We are pleased to be working with GTC at Stanton Cross. Technology plays an increasingly important role in our lives, especially in our homes and businesses where high-speed fibre and a super-fast Internet connection is in such demand. “We are delighted that future businesses and residents of Stanton Cross will benefit from this very latest technology by GTC.”Stanton Cross future-proofed for Fibre and Electricity Leading utilities infrastructure provider, GTC, today announces a new contract for the provision of gas, electricity and fibre networks to a major residential-led development by Bovis Homes in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire. Stanton Cross, a £900m development of 3,650 homes and 1.55m sq ft of commercial space will be future-proofed by GTC in terms of both the electricity and fibre connections. GTC will make the electricity connection from the primary substation which is expected to serve all the planned homes and commercial properties. To future-proof the electricity provision for the development, however, and provide for More >

Today sees the launch of a new national power cut phone line – 105 – to help people contact the company that looks after their electricity network. Callers dialling 105, which is free to use, will be put straight through to their local electricity network operator, helping avoid potential confusion or people contacting the wrong organisation, such as the company they pay their bill to. The number, which is available to electricity customers in England, Scotland and Wales, will enable people to report or get information about power cuts as well as report damage to electricity power lines and substations that could put themselves, or someone else, in danger. 105 is funded and delivered by the electricity network operators, and is a first for the UK’s energy industry. The launch comes as figures reveal that 72% of people don’t know who to contact if they have a power cut, with a further 43% indicating that they would incorrectly call the electricity supplier they pay their bill to, when in fact they should contact their local electricity network operator. Electricity network operators are the companies that manage and maintain the power lines and substations that bring electricity into homes and businesses[i]. The research, commissioned by the operators’ trade body Energy Networks Association (ENA), has also found that 21% of people would contact their electricity network operator in a power cut, yet, of these, only 11% could correctly name their local operator. David Smith, Chief Executive of ENA, said: “Significant network investment means power cuts are not a regular or widespread occurrence for people, however, our research makes it clear that there’s still a need to provide a simple, memorable number they can call should they experience one. This is particularly important when there’s bad weather, as severe storms can cause damage to power networks and disrupt the electricity supply into people’s homes. This new, free number will make life easier for electricity customers. “ENA and electricity network operators across England, Scotland and Wales have worked in partnership to launch 105. We hope people will welcome it as an important step forward in helping electricity customers know exactly what to do and who to contact if they have a power cut.” People can call 105 from most landlines and mobile phones, no matter who they choose to buy electricity from. More information about 105 and electricity network operators can be found at www.powercut105.com. The new website also provides direct links and details of how to contact network operators online and via social media to get information and updates about a power cut. Today sees the launch of a new national power cut phone line – 105 – to help people contact the company that looks after their electricity network. Callers dialling 105, which is free to use, will be put straight through to their local electricity network operator, helping avoid potential confusion or people contacting the wrong organisation, such as the company they pay their bill to. The number, which is available to electricity customers in England, Scotland and Wales, will enable people to report or get information about power cuts as well as report damage to electricity power lines and substations More >

GTC today officially unveils its UltraStream300 Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) network, providing housebuilders with a cost-effective, hassle-free way to offer the high-speed, reliable broadband service homebuyers demand.   UltraStream300 offers speeds of 300Mbps, one of the UK’s fastest, and is future-ready, giving 1Gbps when higher speeds are required. This is good news for housebuilders, with surveys showing that a reliable broadband signal is a ‘must have’ for the majority of UK homebuyers, valued above highly-rated schools.[1] With GTC’s excellent reputation for delivery, UltraStream300 is the hassle-free option for housebuilders. GTC streamlines the process of installation: project managing every stage from design to completion; delivering each project quickly and efficiently; and ensuring connections are live prior to homeowners moving in. A trusted utility partner, GTC’s open-access fibre network can also be delivered as part of a multi-utility installation ensuring live connections for all utilities, including fibre, are made at the same time. This bundled multi-utility approach gives house builders a straightforward and reliable service for their utility requirements, simplifying the installation, coordination and management of networks via one provider. This solution delivers a significant advantage for homeowners too, with all their utilities being available from the moment they set foot in their new home. GTC’s attractive commercial package ensures housebuilders will not face higher costs by choosing UltraStream300, achieved via a competitive structure of rebates payable on connection. This means installing the latest high-speed fibre broadband will not cost the housebuilder a penny more than old-fashioned copper-cable options. New homeowners will also benefit from a fixed phone line and a wide choice of broadband packages currently from four independent service providers. Discounted Sky TV packages are also available.  Furthermore, GTC has recently agreed a deal with The Home Builders Federation (HBF) on UltraSteam300 for new-build homes nationwide. The offer incorporates unlimited free site assessments, dedicated site technical management and after- sales benefits, which include product training, promotional marketing material and a complimentary sales-suite ultrafast broadband connection. Full details of the HBF agreement and technical guides can be found on GTC’s website and on GTC’s customer portal, GTC Live.  Clive Linsdell, GTC’s CEO said, “High-speed broadband is the fourth utility, essential to today’s homeowners. UltraStream300 enables house builders to offer the high-speed fibre broadband new homeowners demand, with an installation process that is low-cost and stress-free.”GTC today officially unveils its UltraStream300 Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) network, providing housebuilders with a cost-effective, hassle-free way to offer the high-speed, reliable broadband service homebuyers demand.   UltraStream300 offers speeds of 300Mbps, one of the UK’s fastest, and is future-ready, giving 1Gbps when higher speeds are required. This is good news for housebuilders, with surveys showing that a reliable broadband signal is a ‘must have’ for the majority of UK homebuyers, valued above highly-rated schools.[1] With GTC’s excellent reputation for delivery, UltraStream300 is the hassle-free option for housebuilders. GTC streamlines the process of installation: project managing every stage from design to completion; More >

GTC today officially unveils its UltraStream300 Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) network, providing housing associations with a cost-effective, hassle-free way to offer the best high-speed, reliable fibre broadband to tenants of new-build properties. UltraStream300 offers speeds of 300Mbps, one of the UK’s fastest, and is future-ready, giving 1Gbps when higher speeds are required. This is good news for housing associations, as reliable broadband is now often perceived as the fourth utility, essential for all aspects of work and social life and therefore critical to their tenants. Importantly, housing association tenants will not be tied in to a single service provider with limited speed and cost choices. UltraStream300 is an open network with four independent service providers already available on it, and more expected in the future. Together they offer a wide range of broadband packages to suit all speed and budget needs, including low-cost options. In addition, tenants benefit from a fixed phone line. Discounted Sky TV packages are also available. With GTC’s excellent reputation for delivery, UltraStream300 is the hassle-free option for housing associations building new developments. GTC streamlines the process of installation: project managing every stage from design to completion; delivering each project quickly and efficiently; and ensuring connections are live prior to tenants moving in. A trusted utility partner, GTC’s open-access fibre network can also be delivered as part of a multi-utility installation ensuring live connections for all utilities, including fibre, are made at the same time. This bundled multi-utility approach gives housing associations a straightforward and reliable service for their utility requirements, simplifying the installation, coordination and management of networks via one provider. This solution delivers a significant advantage for tenants too, with all their utilities being available from the moment they set foot in their new home. GTC offers an attractive commercial package to ensure housing associations will not face higher costs by choosing UltraStream300, achieved via a competitive structure of rebates payable on connection. This means that installing the latest high-speed fibre broadband will not cost the housing association a penny more than old- fashioned copper-cable options, whilst providing their tenants with the optimum solution. Clive Linsdell, GTC’s CEO said, “UltraStream300 enables housing associations to offer the high-speed fibre broadband required, with an installation process that is low-cost and stress-free.” GTC today officially unveils its UltraStream300 Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) network, providing housing associations with a cost-effective, hassle-free way to offer the best high-speed, reliable fibre broadband to tenants of new-build properties. UltraStream300 offers speeds of 300Mbps, one of the UK’s fastest, and is future-ready, giving 1Gbps when higher speeds are required. This is good news for housing associations, as reliable broadband is now often perceived as the fourth utility, essential for all aspects of work and social life and therefore critical to their tenants. Importantly, housing association tenants will not be tied in to a single service provider with limited speed More >

For the second year running, GTC were proud to be sponsors of the ‘Best Low or Zero Carbon Initiative’ at the 2016 Housebuilder Awards. Taking place at the InterContinental Hotel in London on Thursday 3rd November, Tom Brough, GTC’s Sales and Marketing Director, was delighted to present the award to A2Dominion for their Elmsbrook Eco Scheme.  The awards run by Housebuilder magazine celebrate innovation and excellence in the house building industry and as the leading independent supplier of utility infrastructure (gas, electricity, fibre-to-the-home, water and district energy) to the new build market GTC were ideal sponsors.  Tom Brough, Sales & Marketing Director at GTC said “The annual Housebuilder Awards are highly acclaimed and are supported and judged by some of the biggest names in the industry.  GTC are pleased to be associated with this event, helping to celebrate the achievements of these housebuilders, many of whom we work very closely with on a daily basis, across the country."    For the second year running, GTC were proud to be sponsors of the ‘Best Low or Zero Carbon Initiative’ at the 2016 Housebuilder Awards. Taking place at the InterContinental Hotel in London on Thursday 3rd November, Tom Brough, GTC’s Sales and Marketing Director, was delighted to present the award to A2Dominion for their Elmsbrook Eco Scheme.  The awards run by Housebuilder magazine celebrate innovation and excellence in the house building industry and as the leading independent supplier of utility infrastructure (gas, electricity, fibre-to-the-home, water and district energy) to the new build market GTC were ideal sponsors.  Tom Brough, Sales & Marketing Director More >

GTC, the leading independent multi-utility network provider, is expanding its sales management team with the appointment of Andy Thatcher as Regional Sales Manager for the Midlands region. GTC uniquely delivers the full range of all six utility infrastructure solutions to the new-build market and Andy’s extensive experience in the utilities sector makes him particularly well-qualified to work with GTC’s customers. The expansion of the sales management team reflects GTC’s commitment to delivering excellent customer service in all aspects of its business. Andy has over 25 years’ experience in the energy supply and distribution sector and in addition has specialised in the water and communications industries, working for an extensive range of utility companies including British Gas Business, Eon, Cable and Wireless and Three Valleys Water. With a strong track record in managing projects and building valuable customer relationships, Andy also holds an MBA, demonstrating his in-depth knowledge of business and management, key to understanding the priorities of housebuilders and developers. GTC’s multi-utility offering comprises gas, electricity, Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH), water, wastewater and district energy.  GTC, the leading independent multi-utility network provider, is expanding its sales management team with the appointment of Andy Thatcher as Regional Sales Manager for the Midlands region. GTC uniquely delivers the full range of all six utility infrastructure solutions to the new-build market and Andy’s extensive experience in the utilities sector makes him particularly well-qualified to work with GTC’s customers. The expansion of the sales management team reflects GTC’s commitment to delivering excellent customer service in all aspects of its business. Andy has over 25 years’ experience in the energy supply and distribution sector and in addition has specialised in More >

GTC is delighted to announce that from today customers on its ultrafast Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) network will have even more choice as a fifth Independent Service Provider (ISP), Pure Broadband, goes live. Pure Broadband states it will offer homeowners a distinctive range of broadband-only packages, adding to the extensive product options already available from ISPs on the network. Pure Broadband focuses, as the name suggests, on offering broadband to customers with no requirement for a traditional telephone line. All of their standard packages offer unlimited broadband with bespoke solutions available for customers with specific requirements. GTC only ever builds open-access networks using 100% fibre all the way in to the home at an ultrafast 300Mbps (one of the UK’s fastest), and is future-ready for 1Gbps. Homeowners on GTC’s network have a wide range of packages and services available to them covering telephone, broadband and TV. Products are available to suit a wide range of budgets and requirements, and with fibre technology, network speeds can easily be increased in the future to meet customer demand. Joe Tandey, Operations Director at Pure Broadband, said: “Joining GTC’s network gives us the opportunity to reach more homeowners with our unique broadband offering. We feel that their open-access policy is the way that all networks should operate because of the choice it gives new home buyers.” Welcoming Pure Broadband to the network, Tom Brough, GTC’s Sales and Marketing Director, explains the importance of the arrival of this latest service provider: “Housebuilders want to ensure their new homeowners have a wide choice of providers so they can decide which service and products will meet their particular/individual needs rather than having this dictated by the network owner. Just as GTC’s networks have always offered choice of supplier for gas and electricity, we are proud to provide that same freedom to our fibre customers. It is an aspiration that we are fully committed to and that we know holds a strong appeal for new housebuilders and their customers.”GTC is delighted to announce that from today customers on its ultrafast Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) network will have even more choice as a fifth Independent Service Provider (ISP), Pure Broadband, goes live. Pure Broadband states it will offer homeowners a distinctive range of broadband-only packages, adding to the extensive product options already available from ISPs on the network. Pure Broadband focuses, as the name suggests, on offering broadband to customers with no requirement for a traditional telephone line. All of their standard packages offer unlimited broadband with bespoke solutions available for customers with specific requirements. GTC only ever builds open-access networks More >

The first homes to be built in Tornagrain, the Highlands newest town near Inverness, have now gone live on GTC’s ultrafast Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) network. As on all GTC sites, every new house will be fibre-ready as homeowners move in. Tornagrain in Scotland is benefiting from GTC’s reliable, future-proofed, ultrafast fibre-optic Ultrastream300 network which, as well as offering speeds of 300Mbps, now offers users a choice of five Independent Service Providers, more than any other fibre network in the UK. GTC is delivering FTTH, on behalf of the lead developer Tornagrain Ltd (part of Moray Estates), to the initial phase of 880 new homes being constructed by house builders Zero C and A&J Stephen. The design of the Tornagrain community is based on the architectural and planning traditions of the Highlands but makes use of the latest technology. Tornagrain is an exemplar under the Scottish Government’s Sustainable Communities initiative and in addition to the new homes will have schools, shops, and offices as well as village parks, tennis courts and allotments. GTC only ever builds open-access networks using fibre all the way into the home at the ultrafast speed of 300Mbps, which is one of the UK’s fastest. Homeowners on GTC’s network have a wide range of packages and services available to them covering telephone, broadband and TV. Products are available to suit a wide range of budgets and requirements, and with fibre technology, network speeds can easily be increased in the future to meet customer demand. GTC has an excellent reputation for delivery and works with most of the leading housebuilders in the UK. With a base in Scotland, GTC is delivering fibre for Scottish housebuilders as part of a multi-utility installation. This ensures live connections for all utilities, including gas, electricity, water and fibre, are made prior to the new homeowner moving in. GTC’s multi-utility approach gives house builders a straightforward and reliable service for their utility requirements, simplifying the installation, co-ordination and management of networks via one provider. Alastair Struthers, Sales Manager of Zero C, commented: “Working with GTC has been a great experience. Their team have been exceptionally helpful in the delivery of the FTTH packages into our homes. The high speeds are unparalleled in the area and so have proved enticing to many of our customers, adding real value to their homes. The new residents have been thrilled with the consistent high speeds they are receiving and ease of getting up and running as soon as they move into their home.“ Lesley Campbell, Commercial Director for Scotland, at GTC, said “We are delighted that the first homes on our FTTH network at Tornagrain in Scotland have gone live. The team in our Scottish office has been working closely with Zero C and A&J Stephen, as we do with all our housebuilder customers, and it is very satisfying to see the new community beginning to emerge.”The first homes to be built in Tornagrain, the Highlands newest town near Inverness, have now gone live on GTC’s ultrafast Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) network. As on all GTC sites, every new house will be fibre-ready as homeowners move in. Tornagrain in Scotland is benefiting from GTC’s reliable, future-proofed, ultrafast fibre-optic Ultrastream300 network which, as well as offering speeds of 300Mbps, now offers users a choice of five Independent Service Providers, more than any other fibre network in the UK. GTC is delivering FTTH, on behalf of the lead developer Tornagrain Ltd (part of Moray Estates), to the initial phase of More >

GTC is well under way with work on the latest of 18 contracts for sites released by the MOD for the building of new homes. This contract is for the utilities connections for more than 4,800 dual-fuel plots at the former RAF Alconbury in Cambridgeshire for Urban & Civic PLC. In March 2016, Greg Clark, Communities Secretary said that “A key part of our ambition to build 1 million homes is to get to work on brownfield sites across the country”. The release of MOD sites for housing development is part of that policy; the intention being to reduce the MOD estate by 30%, creating 55,000 new homes. GTC has considerable experience in delivering utilities connections to ex-MOD sites, stretching back as far as 2001. Connections have been made on developments by Bellway Homes, Bovis Homes, Crest Nicholson, Grainger, Taylor Wimpey and many more. GTC will have connected well over 15,000 homes on ex-MOD land, covering areas from Aldershot and Rendlesham, to Nottingham and Chester. GTC is providing essential utilities to the new homes being created as a result of the release of MOD land and the Government’s housing plans. In addition, GTC is also furthering the Government’s ambition for the UK to have a ‘world-class digital infrastructure’1, where, on a number of these sites, the company has delivered the most up-to-date and future-proofed Fibre-to-the-Home networks. The Alconbury development, when complete, in addition to new homes, will deliver three new primary schools and a new secondary school, a health centre, community centres, a network of footpaths and cycleways, two hectares of formal open space and sports pitches, and an Enterprise zone with offices and buildings for small start-ups, manufacturing, engineering and low-carbon companies. The Alconbury project is just one example of how GTC manages the co-ordination of the existing infrastructure and the construction of new connections necessary on ex-MOD sites. GTC is installing the utilities’ infrastructure for 3,850 homes for Grainger PLC on the ex-MOD Wellesley development near Aldershot. Installing everything at the same time brought real benefits in terms of efficiency and cost, and the site was ready on time and on budget to hand over to the housebuilder to commence the first phase of new homes on this award-winning development. Tom Brough, GTC’s Sales and Marketing Director, commented: ‘With additional land for new homes still to be released by the MOD, we are looking forward to working on more of these brownfield sites. Housebuilders and developers are well aware of the expertise and commitment that GTC brings to each project and for the larger developments, where we will be onsite for 10 to 20 years, the strength of those long-term relationships is vital.’   1 ‘Fixing the foundations: creating a more prosperous nation’ July 2015GTC is well under way with work on the latest of 18 contracts for sites released by the MOD for the building of new homes. This contract is for the utilities connections for more than 4,800 dual-fuel plots at the former RAF Alconbury in Cambridgeshire for Urban & Civic PLC. In March 2016, Greg Clark, Communities Secretary said that “A key part of our ambition to build 1 million homes is to get to work on brownfield sites across the country”. The release of MOD sites for housing development is part of that policy; the intention being to reduce the More >

A simplified rebate system and the inclusion of smaller developments from 40* plots upwards: the exclusive package agreed with the HBF, provides members with GTC’s reliable, high-speed UltraStream300 Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) on new-build sites at discounted rates. This new deal benefits housebuilders by widening the range of developments qualifying for the scheme and by further reducing the cost of installing the latest high-speed fibre for their customers. UltraStream300, available as standard to all HBF members, offers reliable, ultrafast speeds of 300Mbps, one of the UK’s fastest, and is future-ready to give 1Gbps when higher speeds are required. This is good news for housebuilders, with surveys showing that reliable broadband is a ‘must have’ for the majority of UK homebuyers, valued above highly-rated schools[1]. Significantly, new homes will be fibre-ready when their owners move in. New homeowners will also benefit from the widest-available choice of five independent service providers, offering an extensive range of broadband and phone packages. Discounted Sky TV packages are also available.  This open-access fibre network is delivered as part of GTC’s multi-utility installation programme, ensuring that fibre is included in the live connection of all utilities prior to the new homeowner moving in. This multi-utility approach gives housebuilders a straightforward and reliable service for their utility requirements, simplifying the installation, co-ordination and management of networks via one provider. GTC’s track record as the trusted utility provider over many years and for many HBF members, is a further reassurance for housebuilders. Full details of the new HBF agreement and technical guides can be found on GTC’s website and on GTC’s customer portal, GTC Live. The offer incorporates unlimited free site assessments, dedicated site technical management and after-sales benefits which include product training, promotional marketing material and a complimentary sales-suite ultrafast broadband connection. Stewart Basley, HBF’s Chairman commented, ‘We are delighted with this new agreement with GTC, which will further assist HBF members to deliver the high-speed, future-proofed broadband that homeowners are looking for.’ Tom Brough, GTC’s Sales and Marketing Director said, ‘We are committed to offering HBF members, many of whom we have worked with for years, the best commercial terms that we can, combined with our market-leading FTTH product and the reliability of delivery for which GTC is known. With this new agreement, even more projects will be able to take advantage.’ * Subject to terms & conditionsA simplified rebate system and the inclusion of smaller developments from 40* plots upwards: the exclusive package agreed with the HBF, provides members with GTC’s reliable, high-speed UltraStream300 Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) on new-build sites at discounted rates. This new deal benefits housebuilders by widening the range of developments qualifying for the scheme and by further reducing the cost of installing the latest high-speed fibre for their customers. UltraStream300, available as standard to all HBF members, offers reliable, ultrafast speeds of 300Mbps, one of the UK’s fastest, and is future-ready to give 1Gbps when higher speeds are required. This is good news More >

GTC’s Scottish office is moving to new, larger premises in Bellshill, North Lanarkshire. GTC is the UK’s largest independent provider of utility networks and infrastructure to the new-build market. Its Scotland team, based just south of Glasgow, works with developers and housebuilders, delivering the full range of utilities required for new homes – gas, electricity, ultrafast fibre broadband, water and low-carbon district energy networks. Having worked with all the top housebuilders and developers in Scotland, as well as smaller, regional firms for many years, GTC took the decision to establish a Scottish office in 2016 in response to increasing demand. One year on and the success of the venture is clear: GTC has been involved in numerous projects across Scotland, connecting services to thousands of new homes and the team has now outgrown its current location. Operating networks which serve over one million homes across the UK, GTC is unique in being able to offer all six utilities. There are clear advantages for housebuilders to work with a single utility supplier, able to install the whole utility infrastructure in one seamless process, from quotation to connection. One project manager is able to co-ordinate and schedule everything, ensuring the smooth-running of the installation process and delivering both cost- and time-efficiencies. GTC’s Scotland team of over 40 is headed up by Commercial Director, Lesley Campbell, who has a wealth of experience in the utilities sector in Scotland. Other key individuals include sales manager, Allan McKenzie, who joined in April from Scottish Power, and David Forbes, recently appointed to work with customers wishing to develop low-carbon district energy networks. Commenting on the success of the first year, Lesley said: “Having a base in Scotland has been very important for GTC and has brought us closer to our customers. Our team here understands the needs of the Scottish construction industry and has detailed knowledge of the building regulations and the policies relating to housebuilding determined by the Scottish Government. We have enjoyed putting that knowledge to work for Scottish developers and housebuilders and are looking forward to another successful year in 2018.” From 15 December, GTC will be based at: Unit 2.1 & 2.2, Western Campus, Strathclyde Business Park, Bellshill ML4 3BF.GTC’s Scottish office is moving to new, larger premises in Bellshill, North Lanarkshire. GTC is the UK’s largest independent provider of utility networks and infrastructure to the new-build market. Its Scotland team, based just south of Glasgow, works with developers and housebuilders, delivering the full range of utilities required for new homes – gas, electricity, ultrafast fibre broadband, water and low-carbon district energy networks. Having worked with all the top housebuilders and developers in Scotland, as well as smaller, regional firms for many years, GTC took the decision to establish a Scottish office in 2016 in response to increasing demand. More >

GTC, the UK’s largest independent utility network provider to the new-build market, today hailed the imminent arrival of genuine competition in the provision of new water connections for housing developments in England and Wales. From April 2018, measures introduced by Ofwat will sweep away barriers to competition and, for the first time, give housebuilders and developers a real choice of providers for new water and wastewater connections. This opening up of the water market, described by Ofwat as “a significant change from the past”1, is expected to bring developers of all sizes significant benefits including lower prices, better customer service and innovative supply solutions. Following an investigation into how the water market was operating, Ofwat is introducing changes that will make it easier for developers and competing water companies to establish what an incumbent water company will charge to connect a new development to their existing water network. The charges will also be fairer, with new connections not paying for pre-existing network issues. In addition, Ofwat has undertaken to streamline the lengthy licensing process required to appoint alternative network providers. Competing water companies, referred to as NAVs2 – ‘New Appointment and Variation’ - are licensed by Ofwat on a per site basis. Under the previous regulatory arrangements, it was only financially viable for NAVs to provide networks on large developments. GTC, for example, is already responsible for more than 8,000 live water and wastewater new connections to a number of major developments across the UK including King’s Cross and Greenwich Millennium Village in London, Priors Hall in Corby and Berryfields in Aylesbury. GTC is also contracted to build out thousands more connections on sites from Newcastle to Weston-super-Mare. With these market changes, however, hundreds of new NAV licences are now expected for developments of all sizes. Until now, in England and Wales, the default option for housebuilders was simply to obtain water and wastewater connections from the local, incumbent water company either directly or via self-lay utility companies installing on their behalf. This was a very different market environment from the already liberalised electricity and gas markets where the majority of new connections are now carried out by independent network providers such as GTC. John Marsh, GTC’s Water Director, is delighted that the water market is following the lead provided by gas and electricity. “This is a watershed moment. A real game-changer. We have been held back from offering the whole housebuilding sector the choice to benefit from our different approach to network provision. As the trusted utility provider to many of the UK’s top housebuilders over many years, we are looking forward to being able to support many more of them with the full range of utility network connections. Adopting a truly multi-utility approach, sourcing all utilities from a single network provider, is now a realistic option for all housebuilders and developers.”GTC, the UK’s largest independent utility network provider to the new-build market, today hailed the imminent arrival of genuine competition in the provision of new water connections for housing developments in England and Wales. From April 2018, measures introduced by Ofwat will sweep away barriers to competition and, for the first time, give housebuilders and developers a real choice of providers for new water and wastewater connections. This opening up of the water market, described by Ofwat as “a significant change from the past”1, is expected to bring developers of all sizes significant benefits including lower prices, better customer service More >

This article was first published in Energy Manager magazine in March 2018 The deregulation of the water retail market for non-domestic customers has received considerable attention. There has been less fanfare, however, about another important opening up of the water market in England and Wales, that of the market for new water and wastewater connections. Measures to introduce genuine competition into this market come into force this April and represent a significant opportunity for any public-sector organisation involved in development, especially local authorities and housing associations building new communities of social housing. Following what Ofwat and industry experts are describing as a major change, independent water network providers, such as GTC, will be able to offer developments of all sizes a real choice of provider. The water market will be liberalised in the same way that the electricity and gas markets have been. Indeed, the majority of new electricity and gas connections are now carried out by independent network providers. Until now, there have been very limited opportunities for developers to source their water networks from anyone other than their local water company. This was because the old rules did not anticipate competition.  As a result, the tariff and charging structures operated by the water companies hindered competition.  Following an investigation into how the market was operating, Ofwat has now introduced a number of measures which will sweep away the barriers to competition, with the anticipated result that newly robust market competition will bring lower prices, a wider choice of providers, better customer service and innovative supply solutions. What choices does a developer have? In England and Wales, water companies supply domestic water and wastewater services on a monopoly basis within their specific geographical areas. They provide services to the majority of households in their regions and are referred to as the ‘incumbent’ water company. For new connections, however, developers do have a choice: To use the existing ‘statutory’ offer from the incumbent water company to deliver the new connections. To choose a competing water company, referred to as a NAV - a ‘New Appointment and Variation.NAVs are licensed by Ofwat and own the site network.NAVs can install the site network or adopt networks that are installed by Self-Lay Providers (SLPs). To date, NAVs have been restricted to large sites, but the opening of the market means full competition with NAVs operating on all sizes of development. To employ SLPs to install the site water network.The network can then be adopted and owned by a NAV or the incumbent water company.In a similar way, NAVs can own the site wastewater networks installed by the developer. Although the option to appoint an independent water company has been available since 1997, developers and housebuilders have been wary of the process and it has only made financial sense for independent providers to supply water and wastewater networks on larger developments. The new rules change this, with hundreds of new NAV licences expected to be processed in the next few years and developments of as few as 50 houses being able to benefit. The changes and what you can expect The first difference that a developer considering appointing a NAV will notice is that it will be easier to establish exactly what the incumbent water company will charge to connect the new development to their existing network. The charges will also be fairer, with new connections not paying for pre-existing network issues.  In addition, developers will benefit from a speedier licensing process. Ofwat has undertaken to streamline the NAV licence application process and significantly reduce the amount of time it takes for a licence to be granted. The greater degree of certainty over timescales will mean that choice of supplier will not be determined by concerns that delays in the licensing process will impact the delivery of the overall project. Independent providers are also expected to bring fresh thinking and a more flexible approach to network implementation. They also bring experience. GTC, for example, is already responsible for more than 8,000 live water and wastewater new connections with an order book of 40,000 more homes.  Finally, the opportunity for adopting a multi-utility approach will bring significant benefits to housing developments. All of a development’s utilities – water, wastewater, electricity, gas, and superfast fibre broadband - could be handled by a single network provider. Utility procurement is simplified with only one company to deal with and a single project manager to co-ordinate the installation of all the utilities, making scheduling more reliable and delivering valuable cost savings. Making the most of the new environment Everyone involved in commissioning or specifying utilities for new developments needs to consider how these changes can work for them. Even where a quotation has already been received, options can be reviewed under transitional arrangements designed to protect existing business cases. Genuine competition is about to arrive in the new water connections market. Expect change, innovation, and new ways of working. It is a watershed moment for the water industry.This article was first published in Energy Manager magazine in March 2018 The deregulation of the water retail market for non-domestic customers has received considerable attention. There has been less fanfare, however, about another important opening up of the water market in England and Wales, that of the market for new water and wastewater connections. Measures to introduce genuine competition into this market come into force this April and represent a significant opportunity for any public-sector organisation involved in development, especially local authorities and housing associations building new communities of social housing. Following what Ofwat and industry experts are describing More >

Originally featured in the November 2017 issue of Professional Housebuilder & Property Developer – www.phpdonline.co.uk’ Independent providers can now offer all utilities to a development. Tom Brough from GTC highlights the advantages of this multi-utility approach when developing brownfield sites. The continual pressure on housebuilders and developers to deliver new housing means that increasingly councils and developers are considering brownfield sites. The re-use of these often-derelict areas of land has many advantages for developers and planners, not least the fact that such projects are unlikely to attract opposition from local residents and indeed may be welcomed as a means of regenerating communities. Brownfield sites, however, involve particular challenges in terms of groundworks and existing utility infrastructure. Given the potential complications of preparing such sites, it makes sense to ensure that the installation of new utility infrastructure is as straightforward and streamlined as possible. Complex site preparation Whilst it may be that the “transformation of a brownfield site is a vision of hope for the future”1, the practical reality facing developers is that preparing the site for construction work can be a time consuming, complicated and expensive business. Common issues include site investigation and soil treatment; the remediation of old works; the removal of underground obstacles; the demolition of buildings; and, in some cases, the preservation of buildings which will be incorporated into the new development. Having dealt with all these, the housebuilder needs to be confident that the new groundworks and utility infrastructure will not unnecessarily further consume management time. How to keep costs down is a perennial subject that interests every housebuilder and developer. Dealing with individual utility network suppliers and an elaborate multiplicity of groundworks has the potential for project management complexity and delays that all add to costs. Avoiding those complications by adopting a multi-utility approach is an increasingly attractive solution which is now delivering further advantages for housebuilders. A multi-utility approach The list of utilities now required for developments has expanded. Gas, electricity, water and wastewater have been joined by fibre-optic broadband and in some instances district energy networks, capable of delivering both heating and cooling. It is, of course, possible to source each utility separately, working with a number of suppliers and co-ordinating the installation of each network on site. This not only increases the length of time spent in the procurement phase, negotiating with companies to achieve the best deal, but a piecemeal approach can also have implications for the construction phase. The installation of each utility is dependent on the others and if one provider in the chain fails to deliver it produces a ‘domino effect’, with the whole schedule disrupted. For example, water pipes need to be laid in the trench first; if this is delayed or scheduled out of sequence, then none of the other utilities can be installed. Independent providers, such as GTC, offer all of these utilities, in any combination, in a single package that means that developers need only deal with one project manager who co-ordinates and schedules everything, with clear efficiency and costsaving gains. Early connections Network providers who supply the full range of utilities to a development are as invested in streamlining the delivery of those utilities as the housebuilders themselves, aiming to connect all homes at the earliest opportunity. Homeowners, too, benefit from this multi-utility approach, for example by having a live fibre-optic network connection when they move in. Whilst working with a single supplier yields the greatest benefits, it is also, of course, possible to procure the multiple utilities in any combination. So, for example, GTC is providing gas, electricity, fibre, water and sewerage for domestic plots at Bishops Stortford North, with gas and electricity for six commercial plots; and gas, electricity, fibre and water connections for the domestic plots at the NES development in Crawley, West Sussex, with just gas for the commercial plots. Synchronising the installation of utilities allows for the programme to be directly aligned to the developer’s construction schedule. This can be a significant advantage, particularly for larger developments being constructed in phases. Fully-serviced land deals are another example where taking a multi-utility approach offers benefits for the housebuilder. Here, landowners are able to offer housebuilders parcels of land with all the utilities already installed on the boundary, enabling them to do what they do best – build houses. The latest technology Developing brownfield sites is often about more than just regenerating derelict industrial and residential areas. It can be seen as an opportunity to not only bring a community up-to-date, but to take it further by introducing next-generation technology and sustainable energy solutions. Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) services such as GTC’s Ultrastream300, deliver futureproofed ultrafast broadband, with speeds of 300Mbps now and ready for 1Gbps when higher speeds are demanded. Having the latest technology like this installed, can prove to be a major selling point to house buyers, especially those looking to purchase in the urban centres where so many brownfield sites are located. Any approach that can smooth the procurement and construction process must be an attractive prospect. The integrated provision of all utilities through a single provider is just such a solution, and looks set to become an obvious choice for the housing industry going forward. For brownfield-site developers in particular, it can deliver significant efficiency and cost benefits. _________________________________ MORE BROWNFIELD SITES In March 2016, Greg Clark, Communities Secretary said that: “A key part of our ambition to build one million homes is to get to work on brownfield sites across the country”. Indeed, the Government is playing its part in making such sites available through its release of land from the Ministry of Defence’s (MOD’s) built estate. This process began some years ago and GTC has extensive experience of providing utility networks to ex-MOD developments. 1. Jennifer Gray on http://www.sustainablebuild.co.uk/brownfieldsites.htmlOriginally featured in the November 2017 issue of Professional Housebuilder & Property Developer – www.phpdonline.co.uk’ Independent providers can now offer all utilities to a development. Tom Brough from GTC highlights the advantages of this multi-utility approach when developing brownfield sites. The continual pressure on housebuilders and developers to deliver new housing means that increasingly councils and developers are considering brownfield sites. The re-use of these often-derelict areas of land has many advantages for developers and planners, not least the fact that such projects are unlikely to attract opposition from local residents and indeed may be welcomed as a means of More >

Originally featured in the April 2018 issue of Building Engineer  April 2018 is an important date, perhaps more significant than many in the construction industry have yet realised. A fairer and more transparent charging structure, introduced by Ofwat, comes into force, sweeping aside the existing barriers to competition. This marks a fresh beginning for the new water connections market in England and Wales. For the first time, independent network operators will be able to offer housebuilders and developers a real alternative to working with the traditional water companies. It is truly a watershed moment.   The 2014 Water Act included provisions to open up the water market and offer the construction industry a genuine choice to select their water company for the first time. These provisions, which Ofwat has described as ‘a significant change from the past’ come into effect this month and are expected to deliver tangible benefits such as speeding up connections, lowering prices and offering both better customer service and innovative supply solutions. The liberalisation of gas and electricity changed those markets out of all recognition, with the vast majority of new connections now being carried out by independent network providers such as GTC. In a similar way, it is anticipated that the regional water companies will no longer dominate new water connections in the future. Everyone involved in commissioning or specifying utilities for new developments – architects, consultants, engineers, developers, contractors and housebuilders – needs to be aware of these changes and how to ensure that they obtain the best value and service from the water industry. This is definitely not a case of ‘business as usual’. The structure of the water market In England and Wales, water companies supply water and wastewater services on a monopoly basis within their specific geographical area. They are referred to as the ‘incumbent’ water company. For new connections, a developer has a number of options: 1 To use the existing ‘statutory’ offer from the incumbent water company to deliver the new connections 2 To choose a competing water company, referred to as a NAV – a ‘New Appointment and Variation’. NAVs are licensed by Ofwat and own the site network. NAVs can install the site network or adopt networks that are installed by Self-Lay Providers (SLPs). To date, NAVs have been restricted to large sites, but the opening of the market means full competition, with NAVs operating on all sizes of development 3 To employ SLPs to install the site water network. The network can then be adopted and owned by a NAV or the incumbent water company. In a similar way, NAVs can own the site wastewater networks installed by the developer. The case for change Concerns about how the water market in England and Wales has been operating have been expressed to Government and regulators for many years by both developers and by potential network providers interested in entering the market. Developers wishing to appoint new providers, rather than the incumbent water companies, were faced with delays and uncertainties, disrupting development scheduling and leaving little option but to stay with the familiar local water company. Potential new entrants to the market were faced with a tariff structure that squeezed margins to the extent that only the largest projects were viable. The 2014 Water Act gave Ofwat the responsibility for the rules governing new water and wastewater connections. Ofwat consulted widely with the regional water companies, the industry body, Water UK, and experienced NAV licence holders like GTC, which is already responsible for more than 8,000 live water and wastewater new connections with an order book of 40,000 more homes. Having ascertained that market competition was not operating effectively, Ofwat conducted a formal investigation in 2017. The report was published in October and identified a number of barriers to competition and the action that was required to remove them. The barriers to competition Charges payable to the incumbent water company fall into two categories: a non-contestable charge to cover the costs of work on the off-site infrastructure of the incumbent’s network; and a wholesale boundary charge for the delivery of water to, and the removal of wastewater from, the site.   Income Offset – before... The first block to competition to be examined was the implementation of income offset and relevant deficit. Incumbent water companies have historically assessed the future income that they would receive once a development has been built out and discounted the capital cost of construction of that network by making an asset value payment. In many cases this could offset the entire cost of the water network construction and in some cases also discount the cost of offsite reinforcement. However, these asset value payments and discounts were only applied where the water company itself was to become the ultimate owner of the network and not when a potential NAV licence holder was involved. This, despite the fact that the incumbent water company would still benefit from long term revenue generated by the wholesale boundary charge levied on the NAV, and the reduction in costs from not having to manage the water supply and billing to the new residential dwellings. …and after Under the new rules, regionalwater companies are obliged to offer the same income offset that they benefit from toNAVs, SLPs and developers. The income offset will be netted off resulting in a consistent cost of offsite connection for developers and housebuilders, irrespective of who is providing water network construction services to their development. Wholesale Boundary Charge – before...The second source of distortion in the water market was the wholesale charge – what NAVs were charged at the boundary for the bulk supply of water. Water companies had been using a Large User tariff as though a single large company or factory were being supplied. This completely ignored the reality of an onsite network infrastructure serving a large number of individual residences and the costs incurred in providing and managing that network. Since Ofwat rules prohibited NAVs from selling water to customers at prices no greater than the water companies, this resulted in a significant squeeze on NAV margins. Indeed, only for the largest developments did it make economic sense for a NAV to enter the market. …and after Water companies now have a duty to offer a costreflective charge and some have already developed and published NAV-specific wholesale charges. Application Process The final barrier to competition that the report identified was the length of time that it was taking for NAV licences to be processed. This could take between 6-9 months. Whilst large developments, which could be years in the planning, could live with this timescale, for small sites this was impracticable. Recognising that hundreds of applications will now be expected, Ofwat has undertaken to streamline the process. The removal of these barriers will enable the market for water connections to operate in the same way as the gas and electricity markets, and open the door to genuine choice of providers for the construction industry. Reassurance for developers and customers Major change within a market can cause understandable concerns and uncertainties for customers, unsure whether new entrants to the market will be able to provide reliable services and how the move to new regulations will be handled. The provision of new connections by NAVs has, however, already proven to be successful. Projects such as Greenwich Millennium Village in London and Priors Hall Park in Corby have shown that NAV network operators like GTC can deliver quality water connections, owning and managing networks and committed to the long-term service of customers. Developers can be reassured, moreover, that under the arrangements new appointees will have the same duties and responsibilities as the existing water companies, and that customers are not permitted to be worse off with services provided by a NAV. The Drinking Water Inspectorate, too, must be satisfied as to the quality of the water supplied. Transitional arrangements must allow developers to choose which charging regime they wish to apply to their projects where a quotation has already been obtained. This measure protects the business plans of projects already well advanced but also offers the option of requesting a new quotation if that would be more cost effective. This being so, current projects should be reviewed now to see if new opportunities are available. What effect will all this have? Ofwat states that these changes will deliver ‘clearer, more predictable and stable charges’, which are tailored to the needs of developers and other customers. Charges will also be fairer, with new connections not paying for pre-existing network issues. Industry experts predict that more effective competition will drive down costs and, by bringing in new providers, encourage improved service levels and new thinking. All developers will benefit from a speedier licensing process, and the greater degree of certainty over timescales will mean that choice of supplier will not be determined by concerns over delays to the overall project. The streamlining of the application process, and the more equitable charging structure will mean that smaller projects will now be able to exercise a choice over provider rather than being forced to default to the incumbent water company. Perhaps the most significant opportunities and benefits for developers will come through being able to work with a single network provider nationwide rather than having to build relationships with individual regional water companies. This will also open up the potential for a truly multi-utility approach, with all of a development’s utilities – water, wastewater, electricity, gas and superfast fibre broadband – being handled by a single network operator. This will reduce the length of time spent in the procurement phase and allow developers to deal with a single project manager who co-ordinates and schedules everything, with clear efficiency and cost-saving gains. The welcome arrival of genuine competition in the provision of new water connections has the potential to be a game-changer for developers and housebuilders. Utility procurement may never be the same.Originally featured in the April 2018 issue of Building Engineer  April 2018 is an important date, perhaps more significant than many in the construction industry have yet realised. A fairer and more transparent charging structure, introduced by Ofwat, comes into force, sweeping aside the existing barriers to competition. This marks a fresh beginning for the new water connections market in England and Wales. For the first time, independent network operators will be able to offer housebuilders and developers a real alternative to working with the traditional water companies. It is truly a watershed moment.   The 2014 Water Act included provisions More >

We are delighted to announce that BUUK Infrastructure (GTC’s parent company) has been recognised by its employees as a Great Place to Work® and was ranked as one of the highest new entrants in the Large Best Workplaces™ Category.  More >