Overview
Located in the heart of Southall, West London, the Golf Links Estate is a bustling residential community of mid-20th-century blocks, maisonettes, and low-rise flats, home to thousands of residents. With narrow internal roads, pedestrian pathways, and pockets of green space, the estate presents a dense network of underground services typical of urban housing developments. Terrain Surveys were commissioned by Ealing Council to carry out a comprehensive PAS128 utility survey, mapping existing infrastructure across the entire estate to provide accurate, reliable data for a housing development and regeneration project, all while navigating a busy residential environment with minimal disruption to the community.
Survey
We were able to quickly mobilise on site and ensure we had two teams working at all times to complete the Utility survey as efficiently as possible. Our experienced Utility teams were on site for nearly 3 weeks each and all Utility information was surveyed to PAS128 standards at the clients request.
Both Electromagnetic tracing and Ground Penetrating radar was used to give our client a complete understanding of all utilities within the site boundary.
Results
Using a combination of Electromagnetic (EM) tracing and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), our team was able to deliver a complete, end-to-end picture of all utilities across the estate. Covering approximately 500 homes within a 400 x 400 metre site, we traced and mapped every service, lifting around 1,000 manhole and service covers—from water and foul drainage to BT communications and CATV networks.
The survey revealed that much of the underground drainage infrastructure dates back to the 1960s, highlighting areas where updates or repairs may be needed. By combining advanced detection techniques with careful on-site investigation, our client now has accurate, reliable data for every utility across the estate, providing the foundation for safe maintenance, future development, and improved service management.
