--- title: Vislock Is NUAR about to change the UK utility search market? description: John Gray asks what NUAR, the National Underground Asset Register, means for STATS and utility search providers, and shares what the industry told him. image: https://www.vislock.co.uk/hubfs/service-strike-banner.jpg --- [![email-icon-white](https://www.vislock.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/icons/email-icon-white.png?width=39&height=24&name=email-icon-white.png) sales@vislock.co.uk](mailto:sales@vislock.co.uk) [![phone-icon-white](https://www.vislock.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/icons/phone-icon-white.png?width=39&height=24&name=phone-icon-white.png) +44(0) 1293 302007](tel:01293302007) [![linkedin-icon 1](https://www.vislock.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/icons/linkedin-icon%201.png?width=35&height=24&name=linkedin-icon%201.png)](https://www.linkedin.com/company/vislock/) [![](https://www.vislock.co.uk/hubfs/logos/footer.png)](https://www.vislock.co.uk/) - [Home](https://www.vislock.co.uk) - [About](https://www.vislock.co.uk/about) - [News](https://www.vislock.co.uk/news) - [Pricing](https://www.vislock.co.uk/pricing) - [Features](https://www.vislock.co.uk/features) - [Strike Rating](https://www.vislock.co.uk/service-strike-rating-vislock) - [Contact](https://www.vislock.co.uk/contact) - [Login](https://web.vislock.co.uk) - [Find out more](https://www.vislock.co.uk/contact) - [Book a Demo](https://www.vislock.co.uk/news/nuar-utility-search-market#book-demo) [![](https://www.vislock.co.uk/hubfs/logos/400PngdpiLogo.png)](https://www.vislock.co.uk/) # Is NUAR about to change the UK utility search market? [Book a demo](https://www.vislock.co.uk/news/nuar-utility-search-market#book-demo) [Speak to our team](https://www.vislock.co.uk/contact) ![00acc3\_6eebd2af82d3456fae6d5d20842665ec~mv2](https://www.vislock.co.uk/hubfs/00acc3_6eebd2af82d3456fae6d5d20842665ec~mv2.png) ![ukpn](https://www.vislock.co.uk/hubfs/ukpnmobilelogo.jpeg) ![ferrovial 1](https://www.vislock.co.uk/hubfs/trustbar/ferrovial%201.png) ![mace 1](https://www.vislock.co.uk/hubfs/trustbar/mace%201.png) ![heathrow](https://www.vislock.co.uk/hubfs/trustbar/heathrow.png) ![mc-designers-ltd 1](https://www.vislock.co.uk/hubfs/trustbar/mc-designers-ltd%201.png) ![Sisk Lagan JV Logo](https://www.vislock.co.uk/hubfs/Sisk%20Lagan%20JV%20Logo.jpg) ## Is NUAR about to change the UK utility search market? Vislock, 6 October 2026 Vislock 6 October 2026 --- *By John Gray, Founder, Vislock* For years, construction companies have relied on utility search providers such as Linesearch, Cornerstone, Apogee, AtkinsRéalis and others to obtain underground utility records before excavation. Now we have NUAR, the National Underground Asset Register. The Government has created a national digital platform that brings together underground asset information from hundreds of asset owners across gas, electricity, water and telecommunications. NUAR is now operational and has been placed on a statutory footing. ## Five questions for the industry 1. Will the existing STATS and utility search companies still be required? 2. Will we still need other providers to obtain STATS data, or will NUAR eventually provide everything? 3. Will the use of NUAR become compulsory for construction and excavation activities? 4. Will contractors keep paying multiple providers to obtain and consolidate utility information that is increasingly available through a national GIS platform? 5. What role will existing utility search providers play in future: will they disappear, evolve, or build new services around NUAR? ## What the industry told us The post started a great discussion with utility owners, contractors, surveyors and people who helped design NUAR. A few themes came through clearly: - **NUAR does not replace surveyors.** Skilled, qualified utility surveyors are still needed to establish ground truth and de-risk projects. - **Digital records can look more certain than they are.** Clients must not treat convincing digital data as an alternative to on-site detection and survey. - **The expertise stays, the tools change.** Specialists are likely to move towards consultancy, training, auditing and assurance. - **NUAR is a foundation to build on.** The NUAR Sandbox opens the door for new, controlled and secure use cases. ## My view Today NUAR is best placed for asset owners and their contractors, giving them quick access to information about their own and surrounding assets. Until the data is released more widely, consistently up to date and reliable for the wider industry, independent STATS providers will continue to play an important role. NUAR is the direction of travel. It could become the trusted digital source of underground asset information, while platforms such as Vislock provide the controlled operational layer that turns that information into a safe system of work: making sure records are interpreted, verified on site and acted on before anyone digs. What do you think: threat, opportunity or complete transformation? [Join the conversation on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/vislock). --- [Augmented Reality](https://www.vislock.co.uk/news/vislock-with-ar) [Introducing digital Permits to Drill with GPR validation](https://www.vislock.co.uk/news/digital-permit-to-drill) ## Ready to Join Others and Start Digitising Your Permit to Dig Process? **Book your demo here** The no-obligation demo takes just 30 minutes and will give you the opportunity to familiarise yourself with the platform, explore the key features and ask any questions you may have. No matter where you are, a team member at Vislock will arrange a visit – either in person or online – so that you can see for yourself the benefits that a digital permit to dig platform can bring. Simply fill out the form here and an expert will be in touch. ![devices-new](https://www.vislock.co.uk/hubfs/devices-new.png) ![footer](https://www.vislock.co.uk/hubfs/logos/footer.png) ## Vislock --- VISLOCK is a paperless permit to dig platform that challenges traditional thinking to enable safer practices within the built environment. 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