Cartmel Racecourse Survey
Published on by James Wyllie
Over four days, a dedicated team of two surveyors and two assistants carried out a comprehensive utilities and drainage survey across the full greenfield site.
Underground Insights for Smarter Event Planning at Cartmel Racecourse
Cartmel Racecourse may be small, but its ambitions are anything but. Nestled in the heart of Cumbria, the national hunt racecourse operates across just nine key dates from May to August. But with plans to host more concerts and events, the site team knew that future success meant laying the groundwork – literally. A recent Cartmel Racecourse survey has become a key asset in this process.
While most of the racecourse infrastructure is temporary, catering to crowds of up to 20,000 on race days, there was an urgent need to understand the complex web of underground utilities beneath the surface. Existing supplier plans, including those from Electricity Northwest, provided a basic foundation, but a much more detailed, site-wide survey was required to support smarter, safer planning and development.
“We’re always trying to innovate and develop the site for events people want to attend,” explained Geraldine McKay, Director of Racing. “We use parts of the site we’ve never used before, so understanding what’s underground is essential for our contractors and partners.”
Geraldine reached out to Survey Solutions, and we were quick to respond. Clear communication was key from the start – guiding the client through the process and recommending the right solutions for the site’s unique challenges.
Surveying Success: How the Cartmel Racecourse Survey Mapped the Unknown
Over four days, a dedicated team of two surveyors and two assistants carried out a comprehensive utilities and drainage survey across the full greenfield site. Using a combination of electromagnetic location and ground-penetrating radar (GPR) scanning, we mapped electrical and gas services, identified drainage systems, and then traced the site’s plastic irrigation pipes. Despite the open nature of the landscape, it proved to be a busy network underground.
Following the site work, our team spent two days processing and drafting detailed drawings, delivered as both DWG and PDF files, giving the racecourse a clear and invaluable view of its underground infrastructure. This Cartmel Racecourse survey is now enabling smarter planning for future growth.
“I was amazed when I saw the map of services – it was flabbergasting just how many services are under the site. Now we can plan with confidence – placing temporary structures where they’ll be safest and most practical. It’s been incredibly helpful. Everyone from the Survey Solutions team was just brilliant – quick, professional, and a pleasure to deal with. The plans they’ve provided are going to be really valuable to us going forward.”
Director of Racing, Cartmel Racecourse
