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| Bury
Associates Limited Unit 5 | Farrier Street Worcester | WR1 3BH t: 01905 26222 f: 01905 22555 www.buryassociates.co.uk surveys@buryassociates.co.uk |
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Latest News
Last updated on 15 January 2008
Bury Associates carry out 2 large topographical surveys in the Midlands
Bury Associates make a splash on the annual company day out - see the video footage!
Salford Museum and Art Gallery set to undergo major refurbishment;
Bury Associates produce an extensive 2D and 3D survey of historic building
Salford Museum and Art Gallery is an intriguing mix of Victorian and 20th Century architecture and houses 3 Galleries, a life size Victorian street and a local history library. The Lifetimes Gallery tells the story of Salford whilst The Victorian Gallery has many important paintings and statues on display. As well as providing an ever changing program of contemporary exhibitions visitors can also experience the sights and sounds of Victorian Salford with a stroll down Lark Hill Place.
Bury Associates were able to provide a highly accurate and comprehensive survey using state of the art laser instruments and software developed in house. As well as floor plans and detailed external elevations, highly detailed ceiling plans and sectional elevations were produced. Using this information a fully interactive 3D model of the building was produced in Autodesk’s Revit Architecture. This enables real time 3D visualisation of the building both internally and externally. This provides a major design tool for the team of consultants bringing new life to Salford Museum and Art Gallery.
View 3D Model (Autodesk Design Review / Dwf Viewer required)
3D Model for site at Stoke Newington
Bury Associates have completed a full 3D model of a site in Stoke Newington, London. The site covers a large area located between the busy Stoke Newington High Street and Abney Park Cemetery and is given over to business units, private housing and car parking. The area is set for major redevelopment and the production of a 3D model provides an extremely useful tool in the design and planning process. It allows the user to navigate over and around the site and surrounding area and makes the visualisation of issues such as rights to light extremely straightforward.
Bury Associates complete large scale Topographic Surveys
Topographical surveys of Hindlip Hall and St Nicholas Park, sites both in excess of 40 acres have been completed to a high standard by Bury Associates. In addition all underground services were traced in conjunction with our partners Service Location Ltd.
Hindlip Hall, 4 miles north of Worcester is the headquarters of West Mercia Constabulary and comprises a large country estate with a Grade 2 Georgian manor house at its centre. The site has been developed to meet a range of policing needs including a training and conference centre.
St Nicholas Park, Warwick, is a large public leisure area with formal gardens and playing fields and provides a host of activities for the local community. The application for £2 million funding will be submitted in March 2008 and will allow for a full regeneration of the facilities including and the potential employment of a full time Park Ranger.
A company canoeing trip on the river Wye organised by Steve Bury to reward outstanding work by his employees nearly went disastrously wrong at one terrifying rapid where a canoe was capsized and 2 members of staff and their valuable cargo ended up in the river. Fortunately only pride was damaged and after a concerted rescue effort all 6 cans of beer were recovered. All members of the team survived the experience and managed to retire to the local hostelry in one piece at the end the day. Click here to see a video clip of the descent a weir near Hay on Wye.
Archive News Stories
Click on the headlines below to read the full story
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Technology Poised To Play Bigger Role As Planners Increase Demand - How Bury Associates provided a 3D CAD model & other 3D data for visualisation on a major project in central London
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Owzat! How MCC Bowled-Over By Most Detailed Lord's Survey Ever - Lord's cricket ground surveyed by Bury Associates
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Surveyors Complete Virtual Reality Scheme For Edinburgh's Waverley Station - Bury Associates produce 3D survey of Waverley Station
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3D Models To Monitor Salt Stockpiles - How Bury Associates help to keep Britain's road network running over the winter months
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miniplan - The latest news on how Bury Associates innovative new software package for producing building floor plans is progressing
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The Survey Association - Bury Associates join the trade association for land surveyors in the UK
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Revit - a new era in measured building surveys? Bury Associates use Revit Building 9 for building surveys
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Google Checkout - Bury Associates sign up to Google Checkout to allow clients to pay by credit or debit card
TECHNOLOGY POISED TO PLAY BIGGER ROLE AS
PLANNERS INCREASE DEMANDS
As one of the UK’s foremost surveying firms, Worcester-based Bury Associates, has highlighted ‘a marked upwards trend’ in planners calling for high-tech data including 3-d computer-generated models and computer-enhanced visuals as part of the applications process.
"The call for more technological back-up as part of the decision-making process is definitely on the up, particularly in London – and where London leads, the rest of the country is not far behind" commented the firm’s founder, Steve Bury.
"It’s common, but not yet everyday, to provide 3D and visual back-up, but as planning authorities begin to realise that they are permitted to ask for enhanced data, it’s certainly an upwards trend that architects, planners and surveyors would do well to begin preparing for" he said this week.
His comments come as the 9-man Worcester-based land survey company was called in by KPF architects to draw-up a topographical survey of the surrounding buildings for a major project on a significant parcel of land in Davies Street, just off London’s Oxford Street.
KPF’s 3-point brief called for a comprehensive site survey as well as photographic material, and a 3-D computer model of existing buildings from the collected data. One of the models recently completed will show the position of shadows cast across adjacent buildings over a 24-hour period, and other requests included assessment of the projected scheme’s impact on the skyline as seen from key points in the surrounding area.
Following the recent 5-day survey at the site of the former 7-storey University of Westminster art complex, and using latest equipment including in-house developed software remotely positioning objects to within 1 mm accuracy, the scheme is now on the point of being delivered to the London-based architects.
According to Steve Bury, the number of calls for the Worcester-based company to undertake ‘enhanced’ surveys has doubled over the past year.
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No-one’s implying that full-scale visualisation mock-up is going to be demanded for every application, but planners’ calls to enhance technically-advanced schemes such as this one are very much on the increase".And he added that technology is keeping pace with growing demands from architects and surveyors: in addition to proprietary software, the company has also developed its own advanced ibEX program, and is also working on major software set to be launched in the autumn.
"With rights-of-light issues and the impact of new development on ‘sensitive’ skylines becoming serious issues, we’re now being called on to provide significantly different data to that we were providing even 5 years ago.
"The technology is already in place, but in order to keep pace, surveyors particularly will need to respond in a more innovative way" he said this week.
OWZAT! MCC BOWLED-OVER BY MOST
DETAILED LORD’S SURVEY EVER
Bury Associates have carried out the most detailed survey of Lord’s cricket ground in the world-famous venue’s 192-year history.
Appointed by the MCC, a five-man team recently completed a three-month survey of the 8Ha ‘Home of Cricket’ and produced a 1:200 scale digital plan of the ground and its buildings as part of a site improvement scheme and to assist in planning for future changes
Using ibEX software developed in-house by the Worcester-based firm, the project at one of the world’s oldest and favourite cricket grounds included a partial survey of one of the sport’s most enduring icons, the terracotta-coloured Pavilion dating from 1890, as well as full surveys of the 1958 Warner Stand, The Tavern Stand (1967), Allen Stand, the Nursery Ground and other structures housing the Lord’s Shop, MCC Indoor School, tennis and squash courts and offices.
According to team leader Steve Bury, the survey has also highlighted one of cricket’s least-known features outside professional playing circles – an 8-foot north-west/south-east slope across the main playing pitch.
The position of every tree, fence, outbuilding and other topographical feature at the 30000-seater ground has also been accurately logged to within ± 15mm accuracy in the definitive plan viewed as the most in-depth survey of the St John’s Wood site, which is home to MCC, the England and Wales Cricket Board and Middlesex County Cricket Club.
The three-month survey took place in the cricketing closed season – and says Steve Bury, the historical significance of the ground was brought home to the team every day as they worked under the watchful eye of MCC’s famous Father Time weathervane, which was presented to the club in 1926.
"Despite being Midlands-based, London is proving to be one of our most regular locations – and Lord’s cricket ground has to rank among our most prestigious schemes yet" he commented.
While details of future building schemes have yet to be released, the ground has been subject to major developments over the past few years: two years ago, the entire outfield was re-laid and a much-improved drainage system installed while the installation of a new £500,000 ‘tent-style’ roof over the Mound Stand has just been completed, below budget and ahead of schedule.
Hinting at further developments at Lord’s, MCC's deputy chief executive David Batts, recently said that on-going developments "…are all part of the MCC's policy of continuous investment… to ensure that the ground remains not only world-famous but truly world-class"
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It’s a major feather in our cap that we were included in those plans" Steve Bury commented.
One of our team at work at Lord's (Click on image to enlarge)
SURVEYORS COMPLETE VIRTUAL REALITY SCHEME FOR
EDINBURGH’S WAVERLEY STATION
An intensive three-day survey of the track layout at Edinburgh’s Waverley Station is set to result in a ‘real-world’ 3-D Model for Signal Sighting and training the hundreds of drivers entering and leaving the UK’s second largest rail terminal.
A 2-man team from Bury Associates completed the 2000-point survey in February, and a few days later handed over the completed wire-frame scheme to Network Rail-appointed Virtual Reality designer Simon Gardiner of G-VR Ltd. The 3D survey data filled in the ‘gaps’ to enable an accurate 3D model of the existing station to be built.
Survey team leader Steve Bury said that the ‘working model’ of the rail layout at the 25-acre (101,0002 metre) station serving more than 14,000,000 passengers a year is an indicator of how fast land survey technology has progressed over recent years – and that the information is so detailed that drivers will be completely familiar with the station’s approaches even though they may be based 420 miles away in London!
And, he said, the survey had to be completed without any disruption to the station’s day-to-day traffic and passenger flow, and with an eye on Network Rail’s stringent health and safety guidelines.
Using one of their highly accurate, non-contact measuring systems accurate to within ± 10mm, the team logged the position of 7 lines of track running both east and west out of the station as well as the location of every siding, sign and signal, pylons and overhead lines.
Now the data as well as other information including platform detailing and photographs is set to be processed into an AutoCad wireframe drawing for subsequent rendering into a full-scale 3-D representation of the station’s approaches as seen from the drivers’ point of view.
Appointed by Network Rail, London-based VR designer Simon Gardiner said….
‘we always have a problem obtaining accurate 3D data for our projects whether its rail, urban or building related. 3D surveys have historically been long winded and have required an enormous amount of access and closures or possessions. The remote measuring system employed by Bury Associates is a marvellous step forward. All the work was done at least 4ft from the platform edge negating any requirements for track closures. This keeps the cost down enormously, time to a minimum, and involves fewer people in the process.’
The VR system being created is to play an important role in sighting the numerous new signals planned at the 160-year old station where a £400 million-redevelopment programme is on the cards….
According to recent reports, the whole issue of track and signal layout at the station is a priority for Railtrack as controversy rages over the station’s future, and despite general agreement that the station – the UK’s second largest next to London’s Waterloo – is poised for a long-awaited revamp and possibly even full-scale demolition and replacement with a grass-covered station, all interested parties are agreed on the need for improved facilities and more platforms as traffic from the East Coast Main Line and the rest of the Scottish network continues to increase.
Plans are also in hand for the reopening of the Waverley Route, reconnecting several towns in the Scottish Borders to the railway network.
Edinburgh’s main railway station, Waverley – named after the Walter Scott novels – was created out of three former stations North Bridge, Canal Street, and General. It is the northern terminus of the East Coast Main Line.
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Click on the thumbnails above to see a selection of images from the final VR model produced by G-VR
3D MODELS TO MONITOR SALT STOCKS
Worcester-based land surveyors Bury Associates are gearing up for an annual survey project with a difference – remotely monitoring the levels of rocksalt stockpiled at around 70 Council depots across the UK.
This the fifth year that the 8-man firm has been contracted to survey post-winter stockpiles at locations as far apart as Scotland and Kent – and, says director Steve Bury, though the task sounds simple, it involves taking up to 300 computerised readings at each location and producing 3-D models as the most accurate way of gauging the volumes needed to keep stocks up to agreed levels.
Contracted by Salt Union – Britain's largest supplier of natural rock salt used by local authorities to keep icy roads clear of snow and ice – survey teams are now waiting for the final winter weather all-clear before starting the annual process in readiness for Councils to begin replenishing stocks.
"We’re still unsure how many stockpiles we’ll be surveying this time, but the number has grown steadily since we first got involved in 2001 when we monitored volumes at 35 locations" commented Steve Bury.
The nationwide project usually takes about a month to complete and is part of the process that, says Salt Union, saves up to £2 billion per year in road delays.
According to the firm, its main rocksalt mine in Cheshire is capable of supplying more than 100,000 tonnes a week during severe weather and is the major supplier of the estimated 2 million tonnes of salt spread onto the UK roads at a cost to local authorities of over £150 million each year.
But, they say, the process makes a major contribution towards Britain’s motorways and A-roads now being viewed as the safest in Europe despite carrying the EU’s highest traffic volumes.
With local Councils now charged by the Department of Transport to keep salt stocks at guaranteed minimum levels throughout the winter season, the surveying process is the main trigger to the amount of forward mining activity needed throughout the rest of this year to meet projected demand in the run-up to winter.
"Salt is stockpiled in massive barns and storehouses sited at strategic locations throughout the UK" says Steve.
"As the amounts used each winter varies enormously from year to year as well as from authority to authority, it’s often difficult for the company to gauge precisely how much rocksalt will need to be mined – and that’s where land surveying techniques when used in association with the firm’s own automated stock management system are proving the most reliable method for it to be certain of meeting statutory demand" he said.
Established over 150 years ago, the 150-metres deep Winsford mine is the oldest working mine in Britain today. The salt used is 90% pure Sodium Chloride with the remaining insolubles consisting mainly of Keuper Marl to aid the gritting process roads: 70% of firm’s customers now take 6mm salt – delivering a reduction in windscreen damage and controls spread away from verges which results in less wastage.
Latest figures show that the risk of being killed in a traffic accident in Britain is 5.9 per 100,000 population - the lowest in any country in Europe.
Work is progressing well on our miniplan building survey software. miniplan is a Bluetooth based package that runs on most Pocket PCs & links up to the Disto Plus. It is so easy to use that no training is required - you can be producing digital floorplans within minutes - ready for exporting into any CAD package. miniplan should be launched spring 2007. Watch this space or visit www.miniplan.co.uk for more details soon.
To help maintain our high profile in the survey industry Bury Associates have joined The Survey Association. We were approved as full members at the beginning of September 2006. The strict entry requirements for joining TSA ensure that existing and potential clients know that the survey company they are dealing with carries Professional Indemnity and Public Liability Insurance, and that they have rigorous Quality Assurance and Health and Safety systems in place.
Revit - a new era in measured building surveys?
We have recently taken delivery of AutoDesk's Revit Building 9 to produce 3D building surveys for clients who are already producing their designs in Revit, but may be unable to use it for the refurbishment and alteration of existing buildings, as converting a conventional 2D survey drawing may be too costly and time consuming.
If you are a Revit user and feel that you would benefit from having building surveys in Revit format, Click here or call Steve Bury or Andy Jackson on 0190526222 for more details, or email surveys@buryassociates.co.uk
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