The Great Northern Hotel
Peterborough, Cambridgeshire
Aim or purpose
Extensive survey of a busy hotel located opposite Peterborough train station for a complete renovation and development scheme.
Site notes
The survey was carried out in mid-August 2019. By on large, a beautiful time of year to be measuring external detail. However, a brief period of unexpected gale force winds caused tree damage and the fall of a tree in the car park, crushing a car parked overnight. Luckily, no one was hurt.
As with many internal survey projects, access becomes a principle point of discussion. Planning room access and communication with hotel staff became paramount to achieving a smooth and efficient survey operation. The staff were extremely helpful and accommodating during this task. Accommodation was granted at the hotel which allowed for night operations. During this time, the floor plans were measured in the busiest (hotspot) locations of the hotel, such as dining halls, café areas and kitchens. Thus, mitigating Health and Safety complications and increasing efficiency.
Project deliverables:
- 2D & 3D AutoCAD drawings (2020 release) PDFs & Photographs
Survey method
- The survey was done using a combination of our survey instruments. A Total Station, GPS, and a 3D Laser Scanner.
- Permanent survey control was established at accessible locations across the site using our survey grade GPS.
- A closed traverse was carried out, providing a robust survey control network with minimal errors.
The control network was continued into the building across all 3 floors and TBMs established. The TBMs were later used to establish the internal grid for the laser scanner and bolster the entire grid and data integrity from inside to out. - The measuring process was done intermittently over approximately 2 weeks on site.
- The client was happy that the survey was carried out in a quick and safe manor with minimal disruption to the busy hotel staff and its guests.
Survey specifics and deliverables
Topographic Survey:
- We provided 2D & 3D topographic survey drawings in AutoCAD and PDF formats. Delivering a comprehensive topographic survey based on Ordnance Survey grid (OSGB36) and relative to ODN.
- Particular attention paid to parking spaces, location and sizes, road markings and entrance and exits.
- Included were, ground levels. Spacings defined by the site topography (typically at 10m spacings or closer where local variations occur, e.g. at changes of level, hillocks etc.) unless instructed otherwise.
- Roads and markings, speed ramps, kerb channels, road crowns, footpaths, tracks, change of surface.
- All street furniture and above ground service covers, including: Streetlights, traffic signs, manholes, gulley’s, access pits, valve boxes, stopcock boxes, BT or Mercury installations, substations, gas governor housings and any other relevant service features.
- Signage, flagpoles, lighting columns, overhead services, etc.
- Outlines of buildings, out-buildings, lean-to’s and other permanent/non-permanent structural bodies.
- Boundary walls & fences (inc heights, profile & material), access ways and gates, garden/retaining walls (inc heights, profile & material).
- Foliage/vegetation and hedge outlines (inc hedge centre line, height and spread)
- Although Species identification is possible, these were not requested.
Measured floor plans, elevations & sections
- We provided accurate and detailed 2D internal floor plans across all three floors and the cellars.
Rooms included: All 40+ bedrooms and en-suites,3 function and meeting rooms, kitchens, offices and cafes, bars, restaurants, cellars and out-buildings. - We provided 12 detailed façade elevations, to include all walls, building outlines (including movement joints) & immediate ground profile. Structural opening sizes & windows and door configurations.
- Profiles of any cladding and surface coverings.
- All ventilation, drainage and rainwater downpipes & electrical services, lighting, cabling and signage.
- Roof coverings, ridges & eaves and all roof protrusions.
- Drawings were comprehensively annotated and included dimensioning where requested.
- Internal sections were requested to clearly indicate all structural floors, walls, openings, ceilings, window head heights and cill heights, stairs & steps, ramps and all other intersecting details.
- In this instance internal room elevational views were not required.
