Trenches Law Closes Wayleave Division Setup to Help UK FTTP Builds UPDATE

Telecoms focused legal firm Trenches Law has revealed to ISPreview that, “due to industry conditions”, they’ve taken the decision to close Trenches Wayleave Ltd, which is the branch that was set-up to help various UK full fibre broadband operators to simplify and manage the often complex wayleave process (legal land/property access agreements).

The move may well come as a surprise, not least because it follows only around a year after Trenches Wayleave Ltd. sought Code Powers from Ofcom to help support the same area of work for their network operator clients (here). But crucially, Trenches Law itself is still expected to “remain operational and thriving“, even if their dedicated Wayleave division doesn’t.

The management decision largely relates to the current downturn in network build, which has seen many network operators suffering a slowdown in build and redundancies (i.e. less business for Trenches Law) – partly due to high interest rates (i.e. rising debt repayments and the ability to raise fresh investment), rising build costs in other areas and an aggressively competitive environment (i.e. harder to build take-up).

Terry Daniell, co-founder and operations director at Trenches Law, told ISPreview:

“The Government’s target is for gigabit broadband to be available to 85% of the UK by 2025 and nationwide by 2030. While significant strides have been made recently, the roll-out is yet to satisfy hard-to-reach communities, such as residents in multi-dwelling units (MDUs) and workers in multi-business units (MBUs).

However, investment challenges persist. Operators need heavy capital to fund infrastructure builds, but investors need proof they can make a return — it’s a vicious cycle that continues to plague the industry as a whole. With trusted industry sources also being left out of decision-making, a number of factors are exacerbating the challenge.

We’ve therefore made the strategic decision to restructure the business, and close Trenches Wayleave Ltd. That way, we can focus wholeheartedly on our thriving law arm. With a growing number of businesses seeking our legal expertise — many still in telecoms, and a vast number in more of a commercial capacity — it’s a move that makes strategic sense for both Trenches Law and our clients. In fact, in 2024 alone, we’ve seen a year-on-year growth of 32% within Trenches Law, including building on our offering to businesses within the EV sector. So, clients can rest assured it’s business as usual — if not better — on this front.

We’re looking forward to honing in on our seasoned expertise, and continuing to provide more cost-effective legal counsel for ambitious brands.”

Just to be clear. Trenches Law will continue to work on wayleave through the law arm of the business, with all existing relationships, people, and work continuing under Trenches Ltd. Trenches is also ready and able to increase its work on wayleave through the acquisition of new clients and will continue its commitment to bridging the digital divide by focusing attention on wayleave where it needs to be, such as in MDUs and MBUs.