Elephant & Castle Utilities Survey

Mapping complex underground utilities at Elephant & Castle using advanced, non-intrusive survey methods to deliver safe, accurate, and disruption-free results for Thames Water.

Revealing London’s hidden infrastructure with precision and safety.

Plowman Craven was contracted to conduct a full underground utility location and condition survey around the Elephant & Castle Shopping Centre in South London. The primary objective was to detect, record, and map all underground assets across a dense urban environment while minimising man-entry in line with Thames Water’s strict safety protocols.

Client challenge.

This major regeneration area contains complex, overlapping utilities beneath busy public streets and a constrained footprint. High-accuracy data was required to support safe design, planning and future infrastructure works.

Key requirements included:

Locating and mapping all underground utilities to approximately 2.5 m depth, including plastic pipework, concrete sewers, ducts and fibre networks

Avoiding man-entry into sewer systems wherever possible for safety and compliance

Surveying in a congested city environment with multiple utility owners and challenging access points

Managing difficult conditions, including silt build-up, effluent flow and long distances between manholes preventing continuous line access

The scope included full PAS 128 M4P survey delivery, combining multiple complementary detection and inspection methodologies.

Our
solution.

Plowman Craven deployed a coordinated suite of advanced technologies to safely and accurately map subsurface assets without disrupting surrounding activity.

Approach included:

Gyroscopic mapping to autonomously trace sewer and pipe routes in 3D, eliminating the need for topside signal access

Electromagnetic locating and GPR to detect utilities where direct entry was not possible

Sonde tracing and mobile mapping to capture surface-to-subsurface connections across the site efficiently

Remote CCTV surveys to inspect pipe condition, identify defects and verify connectivity

PAS 128 M4P-compliant data capture at 0.5 m spacing for engineering-grade accuracy

Combined methodologies ensured robust data capture, even in areas traditionally inaccessible due to safety or physical constraints.

Project benefits.

This work provided a complete and verified understanding of buried infrastructure in a high-risk, urban environment.

Safety First

No man-entry was required, significantly reducing risks for survey personnel and the public.

Comprehensive Asset Mapping

All underground utilities, sewers, ducts, and pipelines were accurately recorded in 3D, including assets inaccessible to traditional survey methods.

Efficiency & Minimal Disruption

Mobile mapping and autonomous technologies allowed surveys to proceed rapidly without disrupting surface traffic or ongoing site activities.

Future Planning & Management

The data captured enables Thames Water and stakeholders to manage, maintain, and plan around underground infrastructure with high confidence.

“PC’s approach allowed us to rethink what was possible”

“Plowman Craven’s approach allowed us to rethink what was possible at Bishopsgate Goodsyard. Their ability to safely capture data from complex and previously inaccessible areas was instrumental in supporting our upcycling strategy. It’s enabled us to move forward with a clearer understanding of what we can retain and enhance.”

Gareth Yeates

Project Director – Ballymore Group

Project outcome.

Plowman Craven delivered a complete and highly accurate 3D utility dataset, enabling Thames Water and project stakeholders to plan safely and effectively around buried infrastructure. The integration of gyroscopic mapping, remote inspection and PAS-compliant detection techniques ensured reliable results in one of London’s most complex and constrained urban environments. The project highlights Plowman Craven’s capability in delivering safe, innovative and precise underground survey solutions at scale.