Events

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Time: 2-4pm

The ‘underworld’ is a heavily contested space and there can be claims made by users to protect ‘their’ surroundings which may or may not be supported by law or regulations. Unfortunately in England, we did not take a comprehensive approach to underground space soon enough and this has led to extensive ‘rights’ exercised by utility companies. In the case of highways (carriageways and footways), the retrofitting of shared service ducts is expensive and unlikely to happen in many cases. This is causing many of our highways to be closed for utilities access and not necessarily reinstated to the standard required and in some cases after extensive and expensive public realm improvements have been made. Shared service ducts should be mandatory for all new developments so that the problem is not perpetuated. This seminar will outline the issues, questioning some of the ‘myths’ around the ‘conflict’ between tree roots and services and propose some solutions going forward.

Chair: Nicole Metje, Professor of Infrastructure Monitoring, University of Birmingham

Mapping – what is there?

Holger Kessler, Science Lead, Future of the Subsurface, Government Office for Science

Rules and regs – what can go where overcoming conflicts with utilities?

Pete Stevens, Environmental Consultant, AJS Flood Risk Consulting Ltd

From masterplan to underground – above ground aspiration to below ground delivery

Kenton Rogers, Co-founder, Treeconomics

Root barriers – when to use, when not to use and long-term ineffectiveness

Keith Sacre, Urban Forestry Director, Barcham Trees

Part B will take place on 19th July.