The PoCo engineer visited the site today for a look. I wasn't able to get out there to talk with him (it was short notice and I was tied up elsewhere), but he had all the details I filed anyway.

First, it seems they are under instructions that all new LV cabling must be run underground. (Which accounts for why the first option of going along the road was quoted at £20,000 I guess!) I'm not quite clear where these orders have originated, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's the local council again. [Linked Image]

Anyway, the existing pole xfmr would need to be upgraded as I reckoned, then the LV run down the pole on the neighbor's land and underground across the corner of the woodland. For some reason the PoCo will not provide an exact quote for the work until such time as they have signed letters from the two other land-owners that they have no objections to the work. [Linked Image]

I was told that the engineer who came out was very friendly though, and though he couldn't officially provide an estimate he hinted that if all the trench work was done by the owner then the bill would probably be in the region of £5,000 to £10,000.

There's a problem though. Although the owner of the woodland would have no objections (after all, the guy works on his land) it seems that the owner of the other land and house where the existing xfmr is located is unlikely to give his consent.

Back to square one -- Do not pass go, do not collect $200. [Linked Image]