At TSA, we remain firmly committed to supporting our members and leading efforts to address this issue. Over the past decade, we have played a central role in driving the national response to survey equipment theft, and we are pleased to share positive progress, while recognising there is still a way to go.

Strengthening the national response

Building on almost a decade of evidence gathering with SmartWater/DeterTech, in 2025 TSA started to directly support the work of the National Construction and Agriculture Theft Team (NCATT), a specialist operational police unit established in 2023.

NCATT is unique as the UK’s only fully industry-funded specialist police unit dedicated to tackling Organised Criminal Groups (OCGs) involved in the theft of construction and agricultural equipment. Bringing together officers from across the country with expertise in rural crime and equipment theft, the team is small but highly effective.

In a relatively short time, NCATT has:

• Improved coordination between police forces nationwide
• Enhanced intelligence sharing across regions and sectors
• Delivered operational support and training
• Conducted investigations into high-value machinery theft
• Built strong partnerships with industry and European law enforcement

Importantly, NCATT has been working directly with TSA members, not only supporting individual cases of theft but also helping to unite resources across the UK to actively pursue organised crime gangs.

Real progress with a persistent challenge

There is encouraging news. NCATT and local police teams have achieved record-breaking seizures of stolen equipment, alongside arrests and significant cash recoveries across the UK. These outcomes demonstrate that coordinated, intelligence-led policing is making a real difference.

However, the national and international illicit demand for machinery remains high and continues to drive organised criminal activity, meaning that while enforcement efforts are delivering results, the risk of thefts remains.

A collaborative approach

The work of NCATT highlights the importance of a three-pronged approach:

• Prevention: strengthening security and awareness
• Enforcement: targeting and disrupting organised crime
• Collaboration: sharing intelligence and working together

By focusing on these areas, NCATT plays a critical role in safeguarding our sector, protecting vital infrastructure, and supporting the hardworking businesses that keep projects moving across the UK.

What to do if theft occurs

If you experience theft, acting quickly and following the correct process is essential to maximise the chances of recovery:

1. Report the theft immediately

Report the theft to the police force where the incident occurred. This is critical as only the relevant force can formally investigate and circulate the equipment as stolen on police systems. If your equipment has live tracking and you are not receiving a timely response, contact NCATT immediately.

2. Notify key partners

Email the equipment manufacturer and NCATT via ncatt@northumbria.police.uk to ensure NCATT is aware and can assist and the manufacturer can flag the equipment on their systems. For Leica Geosystems equipment, also notify uk.support@leica-geosystems.com

3. Provide full details

Use the subject line: “Survey Theft Notification” and include:

• Make and model
• Serial number
• Approximate value
• Date of theft
• Location of theft
• Police crime reference number

Please note that online reporting reference numbers cannot be acted upon until a formal crime number is issued by the police.

Moving forward together

While the challenge of survey equipment theft is far from over, the progress being made through collaboration with NCATT is significant and encouraging. By continuing to work together we are building a stronger, more resilient response.

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At the stakeholder event held at Twickenham as part of last month’s AGM, there was a clear and shared consensus: our profession needs greater visibility, clearer messaging, and a stronger level of public understanding.

The overarching aim of the campaign is to reposition geospatial surveying as a strategic, indispensable function across industry. We need to shift perception from viewing geospatial surveying as a technical trade, to recognising it as a professional consultancy discipline. Surveying should not be seen simply as a cost to a project, but as the strategic foundation upon which everything else is built.

A task force to drive change

Working in collaboration with O agency, we have now established a dedicated Task Force that will shape both the vision and the strategic outputs of the campaign. This group will be responsible for developing a clear 12-month plan that will form the foundation of the initial campaign strategy.

The campaign is to be built across five strategic pillars:

1. Building awareness and visibility
2. Regulations and standards
3. Industry alignment
4. Talent pipeline and education
5. Commercial value shift

To deliver meaningful change, we must influence policy and regulation, drive a shift in procurement behaviour, and build a sustainable and resilient talent pipeline for the future of the profession.

Securing the right level of funding will be critical to the campaign’s success, and the scale of its impact will depend on the level of support received from our members. Encouragingly, we are already in discussions with a number of organisations that are keen to get involved at an early stage, with strong interest and clear intent being demonstrated.

Find out more by attending the presentation by Oliver Viney at GEO Business on 3^rd June at 12:00 on the Surveying & Capture Stage. Please do get in touch if you would like to know more or get behind this campaign.

The post Raising the profile of geospatial surveying: building momentum for change appeared first on The Survey Association.

Across the sector, more clients and client organisations are recognising its value and are actively seeking out TSA to find out more about what the scheme offers.

Why PUMA matters

Geospatial surveying is one of the essential, but often unseen, disciplines behind and under the built environment.  Raising standards in utility surveying, a specialism within geospatial surveying, has never been more important. High-quality, reliable survey data is essential to prioritise safety, improve efficiency, and ultimately save time and money on infrastructure projects.

This was the driving force behind the creation of PUMA, the PAS128 Utility Mapping Accreditation scheme and feeds directly into the national marketing campaign recently launched by TSA

Developed over ten years by TSA, PUMA represents a significant step forward for our profession. It provides a robust and independent way to assess whether geospatial surveyors can consistently deliver work in line with the PAS128 specification.

Building confidence through accreditation

For accredited TSA members, PUMA offers a clear and credible way to demonstrate compliance with PAS128:2022. Crucially, it also gives clients confidence in both the level of service and the accuracy of the data they receive.

Every PUMA-accredited company has undergone independent audit, ensuring that:

• Survey outputs meet PAS128 requirements
• Working practices are robust and consistent
• Staff are properly trained and demonstrably competent

This means that when clients choose a PUMA-accredited company, they can be assured they are working with a provider fully equipped to deliver reliable, compliant survey data.

Raising the bar for utility surveys

By standardising how PAS128 surveys are delivered, PUMA has raised the bar for the entire construction industry. It establishes a benchmark for quality, giving accredited companies a powerful way to differentiate themselves and prove their capability.

Equally, it simplifies decision-making for clients, who no longer need to rely solely on claims of compliance as they have independent assurance.

PUMA is administered by LRQA, a global leader in assurance, certification, and inspection services, further strengthening the scheme’s credibility and rigour.

A scheme gaining real traction

What’s particularly encouraging is how quickly PUMA is gaining recognition across the sector.

With a number of major infrastructure projects in the pipeline that will require PAS128 surveys, we are seeing a shift in client expectations. Organisations with large contracts are beginning to explicitly request that PUMA accreditation is written into project requirements.

In many cases, they are actively reaching out to TSA to better understand how the accreditation works and how it can support their project delivery.

PUMA is increasingly being recognised as the gold standard for PAS128 surveys.

Looking ahead

The momentum behind PUMA signals a positive change for the industry. For survey companies, this is an opportunity to demonstrate excellence and stand out in a competitive market.

For clients, it is a chance to reduce risk, avoid costly delays, and ensure confidence in the data that underpins their projects.

Find out more about PUMA

If you’re interested in learning more about PUMA accreditation and how it could benefit your organisation or projects, we encourage you to get in touch with TSA.

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Part 1 explored why that moment is necessary. Part 2 addresses the more uncomfortable reality: what happens when we do nothing?

The Cost of Getting It Wrong

By the time most people realise there is a problem with a survey, the consequences have already taken hold.

The data has been trusted. The design has been developed. Models have been coordinated. Procurement decisions have been made. Construction is either underway or complete.

At that point, the question is no longer whether the survey was correct.

It is how much the error is going to cost.

TSA Council member Andy Beardsley, has written part two of this special edition of The Geospatial Edge.

The post Reclaiming geospatial – why the sector must unite (part 2) appeared first on The Survey Association.

This year’s invitation list expanded beyond the traditional membership, bringing together Tier 1 contractors, clients of survey companies, and other key industry stakeholders. The result was a lively, engaged gathering of serious-minded geospatial professionals, decision makers, and influencers, all committed to the future of the profession.

Key decisions and the President’s Award

The formal AGM business was chaired by TSA President Claire Fenwick, who oversaw several important updates, including a significant change to TSA’s Articles and Rules. For the first time, Affiliate Members will now be eligible to stand for Council — an important step toward broader representation and sector-wide collaboration.

Claire also presented the President’s Award, sponsored by Lockton, to Melvin Penwill of KOREC, recognising his enthusiastic and tireless work in supporting training at The Survey School. His contribution continues to make a meaningful impact across the sector.

Shaping a national awareness campaign

One of the day’s central themes emerged as Oliver Viney, TSA Vice President, introduced the Stakeholder Session. He was joined by Kirsty Ostell, Managing Director of O Agency, who highlighted the vital role of professional marketing expertise and experience in raising the profile of geospatial professionals on a national scale.

The vision is clear: the profession needs greater visibility, clearer messaging, and better public understanding. As both speakers emphasised, this change will take time. It is not going to happen overnight, but will involve structured input and a clear plan to be carried out over years rather than months.

TSA has committed to this long-term approach. However, the campaign’s success will depend on sustained support and funding from across the profession. Members should contact TSA CEO Rachel Tyrrell or any Council member for more information on how to contribute.

Connection, conversation and planning ahead

After the morning’s discussions, attendees enjoyed a tour of Twickenham, followed by lunch, a welcome opportunity to continue conversations informally and build on the energy of the sessions. Smaller group meetings took place in the afternoon, with considerable enthusiasm around shaping the next phases of the awareness campaign.

The shared sense of purpose was summarised powerfully by Oliver Viney, who stated:

“Our profession shapes the nation’s infrastructure, fuels innovation, and underpins every major decision about our built and natural environments – yet its value is still widely underestimated. We’re here to change that. By uniting behind a bold, UK wide campaign, we can elevate the profile of our skills, attract the next generation of talent, strengthen standards, and secure our rightful place at the top tables. Together, we can make geospatial surveying recognised as the critical national infrastructure it truly is – not someday, but starting right now.”

What attendees said

When asked about the best part of the day, the feedback spoke volumes:

• “The feeling I got with a unified call to action was so inspiring and filled me with confidence for the future of our profession.”
• “Gathering and harnessing the passion and unity desire in the room!”
• “The open and frank discussion around important issues that need to be actioned.”
• “Good to see a major campaign of this scale launched so effectively. A significant amount of work has clearly gone in behind the scenes, and it was presented in a way that genuinely engaged the room. Credit to the TSA team and the speakers on the day, a well delivered and professionally run session.”

The 46th AGM marked not only an important moment for the Association, but also a turning point for the wider geospatial community – one defined by unity, ambition, and the shared commitment to tell the story of a profession that underpins the nation’s future.

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It is an ambitious move, built around visibility, advocacy, recruitment, and a unified voice for a profession that underpins everything from infrastructure and construction to heritage and environmental management.

But the need for this Charter raises a more uncomfortable question. How has a discipline so fundamental — the starting point of design, the reference for engineering, and the record that supports long-term asset management – reached a position where it must explain its value, clarify its identity, and actively reintroduce itself to the industries it supports?

TSA Council member Andy Beardsley, has written this special edition of The Geospatial Edge

The post Reclaiming geospatial: Why the sector must unite appeared first on The Survey Association.

On Wednesday 25th March 2026, TSA will host what is set to be one of its most significant AGMs in its long history. Held at the iconic Allianz Stadium Twickenham, this landmark event will bring together TSA members, industry leaders and policy makers for a pivotal day that will help shape the future of the geospatial survey profession.

With over 120 geospatial professionals already registered, momentum is building rapidly – and for good reason. This is more than an AGM. This is a turning point.

At a glance

Venue: Allianz Stadium Twickenham
Date: Wednesday 25th March 2026

Schedule

• 09:30 – Registration & Coffee
• 10:00 – TSA AGM Start
• 10:45 – Stakeholder Event: national marketing campaign for the geospatial survey profession
• 12:30 onwards – Lunch, stadium tours & networking
• 15:30 – Close

Why this event is different

Following years of work elevating standards, strengthening qualification routes, and raising the status of professional membership, the profession is now poised for its next big leap forward.

The Stakeholder Event, beginning at 10:45, will bring together invited leaders and decision‑makers to help develop the UK’s first National Marketing Campaign for the Geospatial Survey Profession – a project born out of key insights and actions from many different conversations including last year’s Geo:Influence initiative.

This campaign aims to:

• Explore how surveying is perceived across industries
• Identify gaps in understanding and why they matter
• Define the outcomes that a strong national campaign must deliver
• Set priorities around skills, visibility, talent, and long‑term impact

Delegates’ contributions will shape discussions that influence the future of the profession – from workforce attractiveness to sector reputation, and from national awareness to policy-level engagement.

Networking, lunch & exclusive Twickenham Stadium tour

Following a high‑impact morning, the aim is for attendees to continue conversations over lunch before touring the iconic Twickenham Stadium – a venue chosen for its scale, history, symbolism, and ability to inspire.

The venue’s fantastic networking spaces will remain open until 15:30, offering ample time for deep discussion and new connections.

Chief Executive Officer Rachel Tyrrell says,

“This is a collective milestone – an opportunity to influence a national narrative, strengthen the profession’s voice, and build a future-ready identity for the next generation of geospatial surveyors. With momentum accelerating and sector visibility growing, this collaborative event on 25th March will help shape the direction the profession takes next.”

Registration closes on Friday 13th March. Please contact the team at office@tsa-uk.org.uk for more details.

The post TSA’s AGM: Driving the future of geospatial surveying appeared first on The Survey Association.

A stadium with humble beginnings

Before it became a world-renowned rugby venue, the site at Twickenham looked very different. In 1907, the Rugby Football Union purchased just over ten acres of local market gardens for £5,572 – a decision that split opinion at the time. William Williams, the committee member who fought hardest for the purchase, jokingly referred to the land as “Billy Williams’ Cabbage Patch” and the nickname stuck!

From these modest beginnings, over the decades, it has taken on a whole range of roles: cattle grazed it during the First World War, it was a civil defence depot in the Second, and then a construction project which was fraught with planning challenges. By 2005, with the opening of a major new South Stand, the stadium reached an 82,000 capacity – becoming the second-largest stadium in the UK and the biggest in world rugby.

A venue built for big moments

Today, Twickenham’s legacy stretches far beyond sports. It has hosted concerts by global icons, including the Rolling Stones and Lady Gaga. In 2024, the stadium underwent its first-ever rebrand, becoming the Allianz Stadium Twickenham. Yet despite the new name, its identity remains unchanged: a venue built for momentous occasions, making it the perfect home for our TSA AGM. 

Why does the setting matter?  It lifts the ambition.

Why this TSA AGM stands out

On 25 March, TSA members will gather not only to conduct the formal business of the association, but to take part in something much bigger.

This year’s AGM will include:

• Key discussions on the issues shaping the future of our profession
• Updates on TSA projects designed to support and benefit members
• Opportunities to connect with fellow geospatial professionals from across the country

Importantly, members will join invited geospatial leaders, influencers, and policy makers to help shape a major new national marketing campaign. This will be the first discovery phase of the project – and your ideas, experience, and perspective will play an essential role in what comes next.

An inspirational setting

Beyond the AGM itself, the stadium offers an experience that few other venues can match. With 34 flexible meeting spaces and more than 150 pitch-view executive boxes, it is one of the most versatile corporate venues in the country.

Attendees will also have the chance to take a stadium tour, giving you the opportunity to explore behind the scenes of this extraordinary place – from the rich history of the old “cabbage patch” to the modern home of English rugby. The World Rugby Museum, housed onsite, features jerseys from rugby’s earliest international fixtures, artefacts dating back to 1871, and the iconic Webb Ellis Cup.

Join us on 25 March

Allianz Stadium Twickenham has hosted more than a century of moments that mattered. On 25 March, we’re excited to add another.

We look forward to welcoming our members for a day of insight, collaboration, and forward-thinking conversation – all in one of the most inspiring venues in the UK. If you are keen to join this conversation and join a geospatial collective, please get in touch with us via email at office@tsa-uk.org.uk.

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1. Geospatial surveying is the hidden foundation

Geospatial surveyors play a direct role in bringing construction projects to life and solving real-world problems. Surveying is not just about measuring land — it is about shaping the world we live in. Surveyors provide the data and insights that make sure everything, from houses and schools, to railways and roads, are built in the right place and to the right specifications.

2. A career with variety as no two days are the same

Every building project is unique — and that means no two days are the same for a surveyor. One day you could be flying drones over a wind farm, the next you might be scanning the interior of a historic building or mapping a new railway route. The work is exciting and very varied.

3. High-tech skills and tools

Surveyors use GPS, drones, 3D scanning, GIS software, laser scanners, and more. If you enjoy using the latest technology, data and innovation, surveying lets you stay at the cutting edge while developing skills that are in demand in many industries.

4. A range of routes into surveying

Whether you’re finishing GCSEs or A-levels, thinking about university, or interested in apprenticeships, geospatial surveying has a pathway for you. You can start with apprenticeships that let you earn while you learn, take industry-recognised diplomas, or go on to degrees and professional qualifications. Find out more about them here https://www.becomeasurveyor.com/a-career-in-surveying/

 5. Strong career prospects

Surveyors are in demand across the UK and beyond — with growth in construction, infrastructure, renewable energy and environmental projects. The Survey Association has a track record of promoting surveying for many decades to make sure young people know about the profession and supports training that helps meet a demand that will always be there.

6. Enjoy working outside as a surveyor

If you love being outdoors, enjoy solving puzzles, and want a career that involves both physical work and mental challenge, surveying could be ideal for you. From collecting and analysing complex data to working with a range of teams, you’ll build a wide range of skills.

Geospatial surveying is a rewarding and varied career that combines outdoor work, technology, and has real impact on the world. Find out more https://www.becomeasurveyor.com

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TSA first produced a website entitled Become A Surveyor as an in-house project in 2007. The intention back then was to create a resource centre to help anyone interested in finding out more about surveying to plot their potential career path. It was very much a starting point for someone exploring possible career options. Since then, the look and feel of the site has been upgraded several times but now, Become A Surveyor has been entirely re-invented, thanks to time and investment by TSA to ensure that engaging, helpful and accessible material is readily available to every young person in the UK, along with their teachers and their parents too.  

Unifrog partnership to reach every young person in the UK

Working in partnership with Unifrog, an online careers resource for secondary schools used by thousands of schools across the UK, the website now contains a video library. These short, engaging films show what it is like to be a land, hydrographic and utility surveyor and were produced with the assistance of TSA members.

Other site content includes a huge variety of case studies, with different surveyors telling the story of how they found the way to their profession, the various education and training routes they took to get there and their reflections on their career path in geospatial to date. Drawing on real life examples in this way brings an authenticity and tangible vibrancy to these testimonials.

Plotting a career roadmap on the way to become a surveyor

Having a clear career roadmap for land surveying has long been needed and this is an important feature of the new website, showing potential routes to, and progression up through, the profession.

The website has broad appeal, including for those with no knowledge of surveying, so it examines what land surveying really is, along with an explanation of the variety of specialist roles available, and the significance of the profession too, as no development is undertaken without a survey being carried out first.

Encouraging and informing the next generation about opportunities in the geospatial sector is a critical part of the Association’s mission, so we are thrilled to have reached this significant milestone. Although the site has been launched, this is phase one of the ongoing project, as it will continue to grow and evolve to ensure all the information on it remains relevant and useful.

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