National Underground Asset Register (NUAR)

About NUAR

The Geospatial Commission, part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, is building a digital map of underground pipes and cables that will revolutionise the way we install, maintain, operate and repair our buried infrastructure - the National Underground Asset Register (NUAR).

Once operational, NUAR is envisaged to deliver £490 million per year of economic growth through increased efficiency, reduced asset strikes (when underground pipes and cables are accidentally damaged) and reduced disruptions for the public and businesses.

The emerging service is improving the efficiency and safety of underground works by providing secure access to privately and publicly owned location data about the pipes and cables beneath our feet. The digital map gives planners and excavators standardised access to the data they need, when they need it, to carry out their work effectively and safely. It also includes features to keep data secure and improve its quality over time.

An initial private BETA version of NUAR, also called the ‘minimum viable product’ (MVP), is live across England and Wales. The MVP includes all core functionality to meet the ‘safe dig’ use case, allowing users to both plan for future adoption and provide valuable feedback to enhance the service further. It includes data from all of the major energy and water providers, such as Welsh Water, Cadent Gas and UK Power Networks, several major telecommunications companies, including CityFibre and Virgin Media O2, as well as smaller providers of these services, transport organisations and local authorities. Find more about the NUAR ‘MVP’.

Find out more:

In the video below, we provide an introduction to NUAR and its objectives:

NUAR explainer

In the video below, we provide a demonstration of the NUAR platform and its features:

NUAR platform

Current work

• The NUAR service will continue to be iteratively enhanced in line with user feedback, the MVP coverage will be expanded to Northern Ireland by spring 2024, and the platform will be fully operational by the end of 2025
• Measures are being sought in Parliament to update existing legislation, taking advantage of opportunities provided by data and technology advancements, to simplify and expedite the process by which asset data is shared
• A discovery project is underway, exploring the potential benefits of widening access to NUAR and the constraints surrounding new propositions. Following an extensive, open and fruitful period of stakeholder engagement, we are now in the process of analysing all the ideas captured. As a result, while the Geospatial Commission will continue to work closely with stakeholders and will always welcome feedback on the NUAR programme as a whole, we will not be incorporating new ideas into theNUAR discoveryDiscovery project at this stage. Please look out for future updates on this webpage, for the latest news on this exciting work as it progresses.

Getting involved

Contact us

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  For media enquiries, please email email us at geospatialcommission@dsit.gov.uk. For all other queries, please email our Service Desk at Nuar.Support@atkinsrealis.com

  The story so far

  1. April 2019: NUAR pilot phase announced

  2. June 2020: Update report published following the completion of pilots

  3. September 2021: Build phase of NUAR announced

  4. November 2021: NUAR economic case published

  5. June 2022: NUAR consultation on potential legislative reform and the proposed future operating model closed

  6. October 2022: Project update report published marking the first anniversary of the build phase

  7. April 2023: NUAR MVP launched in North East England, Wales and London

  8. November 2023: Project update report published marking MVP going live across the whole of England and Wales, updates to existing legislation and launch of new discovery project