Part R - Gigabit Infrastructure - Help I don't get it :)

[cheekmonkey]

Has anyone come up against the new Part R implemented 26th Dec 22?

Our independent BC have said they need us to provide a connectivity plan for our new build but I've got lots of issues around this as no-one seems able to explain it to me in a way that makes sense 

 

Firstly when I read the Openreach website it specifically says if planning permission was granted before 26th dec it doesn't apply - BC are saying that's not right & that the BC application would need to have been submitted (have openreach got it wrong??) LINK TO SCREENSHOT in my head it makes sense that it's linked to planning else a change in regs could cause us to do work that invalidates planning for example. In our scenario planning was granted March 22 & we purchased & started work (demolition) this month (Feb 23)

 

What even is a connectivity plan, what needs to go in it?  I have yet to find an example to try & make sense of it

What is gigabit ready infrastructure?  Do i just need to show you can cable to the house from the road (i.e. chuck a conduit in the ground) or something simple?  Or do i need to provide more complex provision with physical hardware?

We are rural and as far as I have seen the nearest box with fibre is about 1mile away

We currently have no phone line to our property (although neighbouring properties do have phone lines) & instead we rely on mobile broadband - is there a way to mitigate this all by continuing with that solution? (maybe 5g (we have 4g currently)

It's really hard to judge if this is really nothing big to worry about & there's a quick fix mitigation or if this is more complex & no-one I'm asking seems to be able to explain it & help in laymans terms.

If anyone here has experienced this & can help it would be great!


 

[SteamyTea]

I take it you have downloaded Part R and digested it.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1119957/ADR1.pdf

 

Just tell them you use 5G Mobile Data.

[cheekmonkey]

5 minutes ago, SteamyTea said:

I take it you have downloaded Part R and digested it.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1119957/ADR1.pdf

 

Just tell them you use 5G Mobile Data.

 

Yeah I had read it but it's so difficult to understand. As i said I read it that if planning was approved it didnt apply (same as how openreach word it) but who knows.

BC have now said if we can prove gigabit isn't available we may be able to get exempt that way so waiting to hear response on that having sent a bunch of screenshots showing it's not available

[SteamyTea]

I think there was a similar question on here a while back.

Seem to remember that it was a case of running some ducts and terminating them in a suitable IP rated enclosure.

May be worth contacting OpenReach and seeing what they say.  People have found that the 'guys in the vans' are usually very helpful.

 

Generally if you have approval before a rule change, you work to the older rules.  There does seem to be a fair bit of paranoia about regulations since the Grenville disaster, which is probably a good thing.  But with something like Part R, there is probably little difference as it is not 'safety critical' (except for fire alarm systems, but then if they rely on a cloud based system, they will become inherently useless).

[Blooda]

There is a Connectivity Plan example in appendix B

 

You need to try to get to one of the exclusions by following the logic.:-

 

c. The following applies: • At least two suitable providers of public electronic communications networks have declined to provide a connection free of charge or at a cost not exceeding the cost cap, or have failed to respond to requests within 30 working day.

 

If you ask BC for advise what they need as they will be signing it off.  An extra ducting never goes amiss.

 

 

Edited March 1, 2023 by Blooda

[SteamyTea]

2 minutes ago, Blooda said:

An extra ducting never goes amiss

Always useful, even if only used to fit an extra outside tap.

[Adrian Walker]

I would have a duct from the road to your house so that you can accept fibre to the property - FTTP.

[Kelvin]

We’re In Scotland. While there is a copper telephone cable nearby it’s overhead and barely usable for telephone calls let alone anything else. We’ll put in an extra duct to future proof us. For now our internet access is via Starlink with LTE as a backup and wifi calling for phone use. I’ll probably put in a VOIP phone. 

[Temp]

Building Regulations applicable to a development are normally frozen at the date you apply for BC Approval. In some cases you have to start work by a specified date.

 

For example there were changes made to the regs on 15 June 2022. As long a building notice or full plans application was submitted before 15 June 2022 they were considered under the previous regulations. This was provided building work starts before 15 June 2023.

[Temp]

2 hours ago, Adrian Walker said:

I would have a duct from the road to your house so that you can accept fibre to the property - FTTP.

 

+1

 

And put an 8mm polypropylene draw rope in it. 

 

Part R (England) appears to allow this if you don't have the right to lay cables in the road?...

 

Quote

1.9 Where the developer does not have the right to extend the infrastructure to the distribution point, the developer is required to extend the infrastructure to the point that is as close as is reasonably practicable to the network distribution point (see Diagram 2).

 

1.10 For example, if there is a point that is as close to the distribution point as the developer can extend the gigabit-ready physical infrastructure to, but this would not be reasonably practicable for the developer due to the condition of the land in question, the infrastructure should be extended to an alternative point that is reasonably practicable. Developers are encouraged to work with relevant network operators to identify suitable routes for such infrastructure.

 

 

[joth]

This is a useful diagram (page 5 or part R)

 

For RA1, put a spare CAT6A (and fiber if feeling flush) plus mains power  from the house to an external covered "access point" and a duct from that out to a cabinet near the street and specify that as the gigabit ready strategy.

 

For RA2 you probably need to show no operator will install gagibit in the area at a reasonable cost

Edited March 1, 2023 by joth

[cheekmonkey]

Thanks for all the replies. The independent BC accepted the screenshots showing no one supplies to this area and therfore put it through as exempt. I'll probably put some duct in from plant room to the elec gates so can run a spare duct as a dbl back up. Job done hopefully 🤞

[Rafiki]

Cheekmonkey. You seem to have got a good solution with you independent BC accepting that there was no supplier of Gigabit Services.  We are in the same position. PP granted late last year. House is 100 metres from the road and there are NO services in the road ( No phone, no electric, no gas, no sewage). Nearest other houses are 800 metres away with phone lines (copper) and the nearest cabinet is a mile away ( not known if that has fibre).  One other fibre supplier to villages a couple of miles away. We contacted them and they declined to quote. Trying to contact BT Openreach, but they will inevitably say "you're joking". Our independent BC is adamant we need to get 2 quotes, which is frankly impossible, so we may need to change horses. Are you able to send me the contact details for your independent BC. ( lordnelsonjones%gmail.com   obviously replace the % with usual symbol)

[Kelvin]

Did they email you declining to quote so it’s official? That should be good enough for your BC. Ask Openreach to quote too.

Edited March 9, 2023 by Kelvin

[Dave Jones]

https://www.developers.openreach.co.uk/

[cheekmonkey]

5 hours ago, Rafiki said:

Cheekmonkey. You seem to have got a good solution with you independent BC accepting that there was no supplier of Gigabit Services.  We are in the same position. PP granted late last year. House is 100 metres from the road and there are NO services in the road ( No phone, no electric, no gas, no sewage). Nearest other houses are 800 metres away with phone lines (copper) and the nearest cabinet is a mile away ( not known if that has fibre).  One other fibre supplier to villages a couple of miles away. We contacted them and they declined to quote. Trying to contact BT Openreach, but they will inevitably say "you're joking". Our independent BC is adamant we need to get 2 quotes, which is frankly impossible, so we may need to change horses. Are you able to send me the contact details for your independent BC. ( lordnelsonjones%gmail.com   obviously replace the % with usual symbol)

We used the following wording:

This letter is notification of exemption of Approved Document R. The proposed dwelling is in an
isolated area and is isolated from a relevant connection. Please see page 4 point 1.7 of
Approved Document R Volume 1 2022 edition for further information, this is also quoted below.
“Where a developer seeks to rely on the building being in an ‘isolated area’ as a reason to
exempt new dwellings from requirement RA1, the developer must provide evidence in support of
the exemption. This should include an explanation of how new dwellings are in an area that is
isolated from a relevant connection, that the cost of providing a USO-standard public electronic
communications network connection exceeds the cost cap and why the prospect of a connection
to a relevant network in the isolated area is considered too remote to justify equipping the
building with the relevant gigabit-ready physical infrastructure. The application of this exemption
will vary in different circumstances.”
We have attached screen shots from various major providers each stating that full fibre is not
available in the area currently.


And attached screenshots from City Fibre / BT / Virgin showing cant supply Fibre