Challenge
Tideway needed to build the infrastructure for a new ‘super sewer,’ starting with an accurate picture of existing land use, what was going on beneath the ground, and who was in the local community. The list of stakeholders was varied and vast, such as single-owner business premises becoming multi-resident dwellings, due to the number of agencies involved, and how the project changed in the function they were performing – from engineering, to social engagement.
Tideway needed to keep track, and work with local people, and collaborate with local and central government.
It also needed to carry out the project in line with environmental protection, and maintaining and encouraging biodiversity.
(Below image credit: Patricia Rayner ABIPP, www.image2photo.co.uk +44 (0)7836382147. Copyright - Tideway)
An additional challenge was the technological delivery of data. Tideway needed to partner with someone who could help streamline this process, and enable them to share data with other Partners for everyone to work to the same standard.
"The biggest challenge has been the technological delivery of data. OS Open Zoomstack – I wish I had this 10 years ago."
Solution
OS Strategic Partner, Landmark, supplied OS MasterMap Topography Layer, AddressBase, and OS Open Zoomstack to support the project. Tideway used the data to gain key insights, such as the safe and appropriate areas in which to build, based on existing land use and the avoidance of disrupting chemical stores below ground. Using land use data, sometimes reaching 70 metres below ground, meant Tideway could avoid contamination sites from the tanneries and dye manufactures from more than 100 years ago. Areas of archaeological legacy were also highlighted to help protect areas of significance.
Tideway also used historic data direct from OS to understand what it might find under the surface. The produced environmental statement identified considerable land use changes in London, helping Tideway protect the environment around the build sites.
AddressBase and OS Open Zoomstack were used to get to know who’s in the vicinity, proactively engaging with over 14,000 properties in the local community. More than 1.5 million people engaged with the Tunnel Boring Machines tracker showing the project’s progress.
"It's been great to support Tideway in their work by providing the Ordnance Survey products as a service to meet the goal of geospatial information benefiting the Tideway project, seeing the critical role that location data plays in underpinning infrastructure services."
Result
With Landmark leading the infrastructure data management, the time of each data refresh was reduced from five days to three hours. The team used a range of OS data throughout the project, including OS MasterMap Topography Layer, Terrain 5, OS MasterMap Building Height, and AddressBase Premium.
Testing has shown that the tunnel will reduce sewage pollution entering the river by over 90%.
Tideway worked with wildlife and environmental cycles at front of mind, respecting the environmental cycle of the river, flora and fauna, and avoiding building during bird breeding season, for example. The project also helped create new public spaces along the river, and facilitated safer, greener transportation of materials across the river, thereby enabling the creation of new jobs.
Our Partner network
Landmark is one of many other, valued OS Licensed Partners that benefit from OS data and use it to develop their own innovative solutions. Discover how Landmark can provide property and environmental insight to improve your decision making by exploring our OS Net Partners.