News
Our latest news can be seen first on our social media platforms, Linkedin, Instagram and Facebook, but you can scroll back in time and experience the world of surveying in our update videos.
Celebrating The TSA Graduates: Kemp’s Commitment to Surveying Excellence
On Friday, 8th November, Kemp Chartered Land and Engineering Surveyors’ MD, Scott, attended the British Motor Museum to celebrate the accomplishments of the latest graduates from The Survey School, including Kemp’s own Tom H. Click to continue.
Meet the team: Liv, Graduate Utility Surveyor
We recently caught up with one of our graduate surveyors, Liv, to discuss her transition from the classroom to site and her advice for those aspiring to enter the utility surveying profession. Click to continue.
Tracking the Stream DP GPR with the Trimble S9. September 2024
The usual centimetre accuracy of the traditional Ground Penetrating Radar using the GPS connection wasn’t precise enough for this survey.
So we hooked it up to the Trimble S9 total station, via the onboard prism.
The route was traced in real time, linked by time stamps, building a 3D image of the buried services.
Setting Out Steel Framed Buildings. August 2024
Setting out the baseplates for a steel structure requires precision. There are no second chances.
Here, Dave, our engineering surveyor, prepares the ground for the arrival of the steels for these industrial units near Exeter Airport.
The Lee Bay Hotel (The Return). July 2024
A year has passed since our first visit to the Lee Bay Hotel near Ilfracombe in north Devon. Last year, we 3D scanned the building for the client.
This time, the hotel has now been demolished, and our surveyor, Sam had to carry out a topographic survey of what remains before the reconstruction process can begin.
Kayaking at the Eden Project. June 2024
2 up on the kayak, ready to measure the silt levels at the bottom of this attenuation basin.
The basin was pretty weedy and hard going on Sam's biceps. New recruit Zak assisted onshore taking the readings.
has probably been a much-used headline over the years as various sections of dual carriageway between the M5 at Exeter and the heart of Cornwall have been completed.
With the latest missing link now opened to traffic in June 2024 we thought we’d have a reminisce and indulge in some nostalgia by trying to piece together all of the sections working from west to east, many of which our business and employees who entered the industry in the early 1980s have been a part of. We are going to try and remember who built and designed what, drop a few names of individuals that come to mind but would love you to fill the gaps and correct any inaccuracies. click to continue
Earthworks Spot Elevation Survey. May 2024
As construction of a new business park progresses, a lot of the building will be on ground that has been artificially raised using compressed hardcore.
We were called upon to survey the size and height of this area.
Seeka Utility Survey-The Ham, Sidmouth. April 2024
The water supplier required detailed scans of buried water chambers underneath a park, adjoining the coast at Sidmouth. These are key infrastructure that have to be considered when planning any new developments.
Our utility experts picked up all the hidden detail using a 3D scanner inverted on the tripod and lowered into the chambers.
A foul sewer trace using a sonde was also supplied.
Scanning the MV FlatHolm. March 2024
We boarded the MV FlatHolm in dry dock with our Leica RTC360 3D scanner to create a point cloud to establish the true positions of antennas, masts, A frames, towing posts and mooring points.
January February 2024
A dispute between neighbours calls for a boundary survey. Our MD is on the scene.
The topographical team survey the busy ‘live’ streets of a Cornish town.
A Seeka team explore the subsurface of a water treatment works.
As part of a cliff monitoring survey, we send a team of climbers, over the edge.
Truro TNAR 2024
The Kemp team have been working hard to facilitate the design and construction of the Truro Northern Access Road (TNAR), a vital part of the development of the Langarth Garden Village. With Langarth Garden Village set to become a space where residents “live, work and thrive” (Cornwall Council), we are excited to see the project develop in the years to come and seeing happy new homeowners settle into the site.
Set between Truro’s Treliske Hospital and Penstraze, the Langarth Garden Village will be home to between 8,000 and 10,000 residents upon completion. It was also set to encompass the long-awaited stadium for Cornwall however the stadium has now been replaced with a “Sports Hub” as part of the scheme….click to continue
2023 A Year in Revue
Our year in 5 minutes.
This year saw us expand and evolve whilst maintaining a busy schedule.
A new office, new team members, new tech and new surveying techniques were all part of our year. This video speeds up time and tries to capture the essence of the Kemp experience in 2023
October 2023
As the sun descends and the storms arrive, we continued to cover our diverse surveying projects.
A historic building in the centre of Exeter, a new, luxury housing development on the south Devon coast and secluded country lanes were all on the menu this month.
Variety is our strength and our surveyors are always keen to work on all kinds of projects, wherever they may be.
Site engineering-topographical survey-monitoring survey-Kemp chartered surveyors
September 2023
Getting beneath a brand new ‘passivhaus’ eco home overlooking the sea in Exmouth. Setting out foundations in freshly dug soil, east of Exeter, at the beginning of a 200 home project. As well as one of the team, waist deep in water during a slippery stream survey through a farm in Somerset.
This September, just a few of the everyday adventures that surveyors become accustomed to caught on camera..
Kemp Surveys-site engineering-topographical survey-3D scanning
Cranbrook Town
As demand for sustainable and self-sufficient developments in the South West continues to rise, the team at Kemps have been excited to be involved in the construction of a new town at Cranbrook, Exeter, with our involvement in this ambitious and important project dating back to 2017.
This project has been some time in the making, with the concept being born in 1991 and initial plans to develop the site first proposed in 1995. The vision is ambitious: Cranbrook’s new town - just 9 km from Exeter city centre - is being purpose-built with the needs of the local community in mind, and when completed the development will offer shops and other local facilities, plus over 8,000 homes for local people…click to continue
September 2023
Situated on the rugged North Devon coast, the Lee Bay hotel has been part of the local history for more than 150 years. Originally a manor house, it developed from inn to hotel over the years until it was abandoned 15 years ago.
We were on site to 3D scan the outside structure and to produce detailed point cloud data in preparation for a rejuvenation project which will ultimately transform the building into private homes and a cafe.
3D scanning-measured building survey-North Devon-Lee Bay-Point Cloud Data
August 2023
With the school holidays in full swing, our teams had to plan their schedules ahead to avoid the summer traffic.
Although people are enjoying their time off in the Southwest, the houses still have to be built, land needed surveying and utilities required mapping.
Surveying a secure unit in Dawlish demanded utmost vigilance from the team. A topographic survey of a busy road in Cornwall gave the residents hope for their future, and a karting competition allowed the team to let off steam.
Site Engineering-subsurface mapping-topographical-3D scanning-surveyors
July 2023
July is supposed to be the height of summer, it didn’t feel like it!
Through the rain showers, our surveyors continued. Engineering work on a luxury home in Saltash. The topographic team fought against deadlines to complete all planned land surveys, and it was Seeka’s turn to search for buried services at Porth Reservoir.
The soon to be abandoned police station at Torpoint was surveyed, both above and below, in preparation for redevelopment.
While St Ives bustled with holiday makers, the rugby club on the hill above, prepared for big changes. The New Town investment deal will bring new, affordable homes to the town and we were surveying the grounds in preparation.
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June 2023
Here comes the summer!
This month, our surveyors got amongst the beach goers in St Ives. The topographic team set to surveying the water barrage at Porth Reservoir near Newquay.
In Dorset, one of our engineers prepped for a 5 mile route march, laden with a 30kg ruck sack.
While the campers and caravaners enjoy their down time near Padstow, we send up the drone and discreetly survey the park.
Land survey-St Ives-beach survey-St Ives RFC-topographical survey-setting out
May 2023
Spring is back!
To celebrate, we go green on a solar farm, narrowly avoid a mud bath, spend a day with the NHS and stay on our guard in an abandoned abattoir in North Devon. Also, a glimpse at the beginnings of a dream home in upmarket Salcombe.
With surveys as varied as the Southwest’s landscapes, our teams are out and about, from Penzance to Bristol and everywhere in between.
April 2023
As the days get longer, the early mornings become easier.
Some of April’s missions included::
A LiDAR drone flight in Saltash.
Deformation monitoring at a school in Portland.
A subsurface investigation of a Torbay hospital.
The continued engineering project at a major housing project and our setting out team based on the new section of the A30.
More new team members have joined us, to help in topographic and the underground branches.
LiDAR-UAV-aerial survey-drone-deformation monitoring-Portland-Torbay Hospital-engineering project-utilities survey
March 2023
Another very busy month for us.
Both the Kemp and Seeka teams have been boosted with new recruits.
Many ongoing surveying jobs on large highways projects. Ongoing monitoring throughout the Southwest and Seeka undertaking utility surveys, big and small.
The video of course, only touches the tip of the iceberg, but gives a taste of the variety of skills that we can bring to the table.
December 2022
This month saw the opening of our new Eastern Hub office on the new Skypark business development near Exeter.
In close proximity to junction 29 of the M5, the office is 4 miles from Exeter city centre.
Having surveyors based at two offices allows us to easily cover the whole of the South West from Land’s end to Bristol. Enabling us to reach assignments faster and reducing costs.
Kemp engineering survey-new office-Skypark-Exeter-business park-surveyors
November 2022
As autumn fades, polos turn to polars and we acclimatise to starting and finishing work in the dark.
Many of this months missions are continuations from ongoing jobs.
At the beginning of the month, we caught one of the last of the warmer days completing a heritage survey at Mount Edgecumbe, in and around Earl’s Battery which dates from 1860, and remains intact, (minus the cannons).
A weeks trip up the Cambridgeshire for two of our setting out engineers to work on a new solar farm.
Finally, we covered a morning with one of our land surveyors mentoring our ‘T’ level student.
Earl’s Battery-Mount Edgecumbe-3D scanning-point cloud-T level student-Exeter College-setting out
October 2022
Many ongoing projects to concentrate on this month, such as Penryn Campus and the Cranbrook housing project.
On other fronts, lots of interesting and varied jobs and locations. From hospitals to airports and estuaries to clifftops.
The wet weather gear was back in action as the weather started to deteriorate, because wind and rain doesn’t interfere with our surveys.
Land survey-Penryn Campus-Cranbrook-Housing Project-setting out-site engineer
October 2022
A local news channel covered the progress on the main artery through Cornwall, at the 8.7 mile section between Carland Cross and Chiverton Cross.
We’ve been involved in this £330 million upgrading project for National Highways since the beginning. Our setting out engineers have been a part of the large team of professionals making this road possible.
The completion of the highway is planned for winter 2023.
September 2022
Back to school for some. On to new projects for us.
Cornwall Air Ambulance, Plymouth Lido, Exeter College. A diverse selection of clients to start the Autumn.
We completed a topographical, measured building and a utility survey for Torpoint Ferries.
Our setting out engineers were working alongside the impressive piling rig, assuring the piles were driven into the ground exactly where the designers stipulated.
Setting Out-Exmouth-topographical survey-Torpoint Ferries-utility survey
September 2022
We had the task of surveying the Torpoint Ferries terminals, on both sides of the river Tamar.
All slipways to be covered, alongside a measured building survey of the main offices in Torpoint, both inside and out.
The ferries run 27/7, 365 days of the year, and we were not going to interrupt this. We had to work around the constant flow of ferry traffic.
Torpoint Ferries-land survey-Plymouth-Devon-surveyors
August 2022
With the extreme heat still with us, shorts and polos had become the norm on site, safety permitting.
A National Trust heritage garden brought the Seeka and Kemp teams together amongst the tropical plants.
Many of our engineers stay on the same site for for days, weeks or even months at a time when required. This allows us to follow the evolution of a project. An example of this is the Cranbrook estate near Exeter.
Our new offices in Exeter were delivered, and once we refit them to our specifications, we’ll be settling in to our Eastern Hub.
Seeka Survey-Cranbrook estate-site setting out-engineer-Exeter-Penryn Campus-topographical surveyor
Heatwave-setting out-retaining wall-RD&E-Exeter hospital-Bodmin Jail-Monitoring Survey-sewage treatment works-Bow-subsurface mapping
July 2022
Unprecedented temperatures this month made working outside a little testing, but bottles of water, protection and team work got us going.
Surveys, setting out and utility mapping were in highest demand this month, with a few outings for the drone and the 3D scanning teams.
The huge retaining wall at Bodmin Jail was monitored again, the RD&E hospital were on their way to reclaiming a disused courtyard and The National Trust trusted us with an historic building.
3D survey-South Crofty Mine-seeka utilities survey-Leica M60-cliff face survey-Newquay-Utilities Exeter
June 2022
As the weather gets warmer and the days grow longer, our assignments can start earlier and finish later.
Our 3D surveying team were both at the top of a mine’s headgear as well as sending the scanner down the mine’s 800m shaft.
We surveyed airports, universities, car parks and beaches. We monitored retaining walls, bridges and listed buildings.
Our Seeka utilities team were often in the mix, working in tandem with the Kemp surveyors.
Measured building survey-Perranporth-Watering Hole-Bar on the beach-£d scanning-survey
Perranporth, June 2022
Ahead of the Tunes in the Dunes festival on Perranporth beach, we were busy surveying the Watering Hole bar.
A unique bar situated on a beach. The only one of its kind in the UK.
A bar, a beautiful quiet beach, on a sunny summers day. No complaints from the team today.
Highways survey-holding down bolts-site engineering-steel frame building-Cornish mines-3D mapping
May 2022
From rivers, and bridges in North Devon, high rise buildings and concrete pouring in inner cities, to grasslands and tin mines in the wilder parts of the South West.
May was as diverse a month for us as it gets. This film shows only a fraction of our missions completed, but it clearly projects the variety of challenges that Kemp take on, every day.
Measured Building Survey-Exeter-scaffolding-Sidwell Street-3D scanner-girl power
May 2022. St Sidwells Street, Exeter
We were called on to survey the north face of an iconic department store in Exeter. The cladding needed replacing and detailed 3D data was required.
With a short deadline to keep, we knew this job required a bespoke approach.
Utilities Surveying-survey control-topographic survey-dilapidation survey-earthworks measures-defromstion monitoring-Exeter-St Sidwells Point
April 2022. St Sidwell’s Point Exeter
St Sidwell’s Point, Exeter’s state of the art leisure centre is now open. The adjacent bus station opens in July. These new additions have changed the face of the city’s centre.
We started work on this project back in 2018. We’ve provided a topographic survey and control establishment, a utility survey, dilapidation survey, earthworks measures and deformation monitoring, all for the main contractor Kier.
Royal Devon and Exeter-Hospital-measured building survey-construction site engineer-buried services-bridge foundations-Launceston
January to March 2022
With 2022 underway, we’ve been putting the Kemp stamp on more diverse and varied surveys, both above and below ground.
Surveying the South West, but this first quarter took us as far north as Derbyshire and as East as Shoreditch in London, From hospital roofs to a 19th century country house.
Setting Out- King Post Wall-Plymouth-site engineering-pile driver-foundation piles-heavy plant
March 2022. Setting out a King Post Wall
Before the main construction of a new housing development could properly begin, a large retaining wall had to be in place.
Kemp’s setting out engineers were called in to mark out the exact positioning of the structure.
Once the pegs and marks were laid out, the heavy machinery could be brought in.
Site Engineer-footbridge-Launceston-Cornwall-raking piles-baseplates-surveyor
February 2022. The Second footbridge for Launceston
To improve the lives of people in Launceston, the second of the two footbridges was delivered ready for fitting.
With design, site and and fabrication teams working together, the moment of truth was near.
Our engineers prepared the raking piles and baseplates for the bridge supports. Accuracy in setting out is imperative if everything is to go to plan.
Kemp engineering survey-chartered surveyors-Cornwall-Devon-setting out-topographical
2021 In Review
A compilation of "what happened was..." in the wider world as well as with us over the last year. Thanks to all of our clients and suppliers for their loyal support over the last 12 months.
Launceston-footbridge-setting out-engineering-Cornwall-crane-engineer
October 2021 Launceston Footbridge
After a few weeks of construction and preparation.... bolts in precisely, shims exactly level, the day of reckoning arrives.... Setting out, land, engineering, and utility surveys throughout the SW.
Bodmin Jail Redevelopment 2017-2021
Kemps had a significant role in the redevelopment of the iconic site. A key part was monitoring the existing and surrounding structures for movement. Initially we were contracted by Kier (at tender stage), however our team continued working for Principle contractors PIN Construction Management - and finally completed the work under CField, who took over from PIN later.
Throughout the period of 2017 to 2021 our Surveyors visited the site weekly to carry out precise monitoring, while the Seeka team undertook PAS128 utility surveys within the grounds. In addition, Kemp provided setting out for Active Groundworks and Frewfix concrete contractors. We were also pleased to undertake an engineering survey for the new roof to be designed, and to complete steelwork surveys for Hewaswater Engineering…click to continue
GPR-ground penetrating radar-Stream Up-multi array-subsurface mapping-Paignton-utilities mapping
September 2021. Ground Penetrating Radar Test
The Seeka team put the Stream UP IDS Geo Radar through its paces, taking it through a ‘real life’ situation. Busy urban commuter roads, in the rain.
Over a kilometre of GPR data was captured in under 4 hours.
Topographical survey-land surveyor-Coverack-GPS survey-chartered surveyor-beach survey
September 2021 GPS Mapping at Coverack Beach
Before the construction of sea defences on Coverack beach begin, we were tasked with mapping the form and position of rocky outcrops of noted geological interest...
2020 In Review
A look back at our events over the unusual year we’ve ALL had.
December 2020 Eden Project Landslips
This time last year we had just locked the door of the office when our good friends and long standing clients at the Eden Project were hit by a deluge of rain resulting in several major landslides. Our surveyors were scrambled and we worked through the Christmas period collecting data for the design team to work on solutions.
Through the next few months we supported both the design and construction teams with topographic & utility surveys and setting out to get the visitor attraction back open. It was great for us to reunite with the original design team also all be it with new company names in some cases. We are Ease Ltd John Grimes Infrastructure Design Studio
Jan 2019. A30 to St Austell Link Road
The new 3.9 mile single carriageway St Austell to A30 link road has recently been submitted to the planning department at Cornwall Council. It will connect to the old A30 near Victoria to the north and the A391 at Stenalees roundabout to the south.
The £87m road has provisional funding from the Government and funding from Cornwall Council.
Kemp have completed the detailed topographic survey of the route to enable the design to progress. Preliminary survey works started in the summer of 2017 with the final ground model delivered in early 2019. The survey and design teams worked closely throughout the planning and design phase with the consulting engineers stating; “We’d just like to take this opportunity to say thank you for all your efforts during this project. We believe you have produced a very good survey, in some particularly challenging conditions. Your quality control, flexibility to change, and communication throughout, are a testament to your teams professionalism.”
MD Scott Kemp said, “we surveyed an alternative route for this link road in 2005. That route was a challenge but this route, whilst no less challenging, had the benefit of a client that worked closely with us to achieve the key targets. This bodes well for the contractor who ultimately gets appointed to construct this complex civil engineering project.”
Probus Bypass 1995
January 1995 saw the commencement of the A390 probus by-Pass. The scheme was designed by Cornwall County Council’s Highways department and was constructed by Cormac which was and remains Cornwall Councils in house direct labour service and civil engineering contractor.
The road was designed to by-pass the village of Probus which lies between Truro and St Austell in Cornwall. It was part of the general upgrade of the Truro to St Austell route that had already seen the village of Sticker by -passed by the now defunct contractor DMD from South Wales. Incidentally another project that Kemp set out.
Probus by-pass consisted of 4km of single carriageway over predominantly farmland south of the village. There was only one structure which was a reinforced under pass just east of the Roseland junction. This was part of the accommodation works enabling stock to move safely across the road. The western tie in was online whilst a new roundabout was constructed at the east.
Kemp were involved from the first day on site. The first task was to locate the survey control established by the original topographic surveyors. Once located it was traversed and checked. Additional control was established to enable setting out to commence. During this period Cormac established their site compound and offices at the Roseland Junction. The remains of the compound are still there, and these days silage bails are stored here… click to continue
