Surveying the South West: Housing Growth, Infrastructure and Coastal Resilience

The South West is one of the UK’s fastest-growing regions. New towns, transport upgrades and coastal defence schemes are reshaping the landscape. Strategic hubs in Exeter, East Devon and Bournemouth are driving innovation, while billions of pounds are being invested in roads, housing and low-carbon infrastructure.

For consultants, contractors and asset owners, the opportunities are significant. But so are the risks if decisions are based on assumptions instead of data.

Survey Solutions provides the certainty that growth demands. Our surveys reduce risk, improve compliance and make projects resilient for the future.

Housing Growth

Large developments like Sherford near Plymouth and West Carclaze in Cornwall show the scale of housing delivery across the South West. Thousands of homes, schools and community spaces are being built to meet rising demand.

Projects like these depend on survey data at every stage:

• Topographic surveys to map ground conditions, drainage and boundaries.
• Utility mapping to identify underground services and avoid design clashes.
• Measured building surveys to support integration of existing assets.
• Monitoring surveys to track settlement and movement.

Future-proofing new housing means more than meeting today’s numbers. Accurate drainage mapping enables sustainable drainage (SuDS). BIM-ready models make maintenance and retrofitting easier decades from now. Monitoring ensures homes remain safe long after completion.

Survey Solutions’ ESG commitment aligns with this demand for clean growth. Our hybrid fleet, UAV capability and low-carbon processes reduce site visits and carbon output—supporting developers who are under pressure to deliver housing that meets both quality and sustainability targets.

Infrastructure Upgrade

Transport is central to the South West’s expansion. Billions of pounds are being invested to improve connectivity through upgrades to the A30, A303 and A358, alongside new and reopened stations such as Charfield. These schemes unlock growth and link communities to the region’s enterprise zones and low-carbon hubs.

Survey Solutions supports infrastructure delivery with:

• PAS 128 utility surveys to keep excavation safe and compliant.
• Structural monitoring to protect nearby assets during works.
• As-built surveys to create accurate records at handover.
• Mobile mapping to capture long road corridors quickly and efficiently.

Future-proofing infrastructure is about creating assets that last. Utility and as-built data provide digital records for long-term management. Monitoring highlights change early, reducing lifecycle costs. GIS outputs help asset owners plan upgrades years in advance.

Our ESG approach, using drone mapping to cut disruption, adopting renewable-powered processes, and delivering data in BIM/GIS-ready formats—means our surveys align with the South West’s ambition to be one of Europe’s most sustainable, high-growth regions by 2036.

Coastal Resilience

The South West has one of the UK’s most exposed coastlines. DEFRA’s South West Regional Coastal Monitoring Programme highlights the importance of survey data in planning for erosion and flooding.

Survey Solutions contributes to this work through:

• Hydrographic surveys of estuaries, rivers, harbours and reservoirs.
• Drone LiDAR surveys for rapid coastal mapping.
• Environmental monitoring for noise, dust and vibration during defence projects.
• GIS deliverables that help model and visualise long-term change.

Future-proofing coastal communities requires regular monitoring and detailed modelling. Combined LiDAR and hydrographic data creates a complete view of land–sea interaction. This helps councils and agencies make evidence-led decisions on defence investment—protecting both current residents and future generations.

A Region of Opportunity

The South West is more than a fast-growing region. It’s a region of opportunity. Initiatives such as the Great South West showcase its role in delivering nationally significant infrastructure, while enterprise zones and marine energy projects accelerate the shift to clean growth.

This ambition needs accurate data at its core. Survey Solutions combines national expertise with local reach to provide the certainty every project requires.

The South West is booming. Housing growth, infrastructure upgrades and coastal defence schemes are reshaping the region. To deliver these projects safely, efficiently and sustainably, accurate survey data is non-negotiable. Survey Solutions delivers that data, supporting clients to reduce risk, improve compliance and future-proof their investments.