Challenge
Successfully delivering infrastructure associated with water supply and property development growth are two of the most critical features of the UK’s socio-economic landscape. Our client serves the fastest growing area of the country in terms of home building; one in five new homes built in the UK are connected to its network and over 200,000 new homes will be connected in the next 5 years. This will require water infrastructure costing c.£350m.
The business identified recurring sub optimal performance in service delivery to developers and capital expenditure efficiency. Against a backdrop of historic performance failures the ambition was set for the business to be recognised as a true enabler of environmentally sustainable property development growth.
Curzon's approach
Through helping to build a digital business case, sharpen the project strategy and support the organisation in effecting new ways of working, Curzon guided the business in creating a bespoke system.
The system fully digitises the planning and asset delivery processes whilst providing advanced geospatial capabilities. This enables the identification of site cluster for the most efficient, collaborative approach to infrastructure delivery as well as optimum timing on the phasing of infrastructure build activity to align with developer phasing plans.
Curzon identified a number of No Build Solutions (avoiding need to build with early developer engagement) and Low Build Solutions (influencing developer design with early engagement).
In addition, we evaluated commercially and technically innovative alternative water partnership opportunities.
Impact
The client now has the capability to take a strategic approach to asset planning across the entirety of a water resource zone and recycling catchment area, reducing emissions from construction and reducing design costs by identifying site clusters and efficient solution. Better site visibility provides greater insight on the needs of property developers, enabling sustainability initiatives such as water reuse to be encouraged and cutting the cost of late changes.
This transformation has placed the business on track to deliver c£32m or 9.2% in capital delivery savings over the next five years and 15% in operational efficiency.
