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.

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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

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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.

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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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Stronger networks, stronger profession

The major events we create for our members continue to grow in scope and attract increasing numbers. This year’s AGM at Wembley saw nearly 60 survey businesses represented. As well as enjoying vibrant round table discussions on subjects close to our members’ hearts, including equipment theft, education and skills, fees and client education, the afternoon ‘Robot Wars’ session, along with the stadium tour added to the collaborative feel and opportunities to network.

Last month’s Conference and Awards Day was the best attended event in TSA’s history and we were delighted with the positive feedback from members, The Survey School delegates and the apprentices who attended. Mandy Hickson’s presentation was truly awe-inspiring, with fantastic insights into leadership,teamwork and members left armed with insights that directly improve their businesses. Plans are now well underway for our TSA AGM in March 2026 at Twickenham with the aim to continue to build community but also provide a place for members to contribute, inform and be informed.

In May next year we will also be returning to Utility Week Live. This will build on the progress we made in attending Europe’s only pan-utility exhibition this year to promote our PUMA scheme and talk to clients about the importance of best practice and raising standards when it comes to delivering surveys that comply with the PAS128 specification. TSA will also be offering more valuable CPD sessions to clients, working hard to raise standards and promote the vital importance of geospatial skill and expertise.

Tackling challenges head-on

2025 has also seen the establishment of our new partnership with NCATT (National Construction and Agriculture Theft Team), a dedicated unit within Northumbria Police, to address the continued threat of equipment theft, the consequences of which affects everyone involved in the geospatial profession. We have joined the Donor Group, which consists of the Construction Equipment Association, Construction Plant Association and Hire Association Europe, as well as insurers and suppliers. We are working closely with NCATT on this pressing concern for the good of all survey businesses and we look forward to sharing news of action being taken.

Relentlessly investing in the future

TSA funded the original project to create both Level 3 and Level 6 Trailblazer Apprenticeships for those wishing to train and gain a recognised qualification in surveying. We continue to be absolutely committed to supporting the roll out of Geospatial Apprenticeships across the country and it was fantastic having three apprentices attending last month’s Conference and Awards Day to receive the inaugural Best Apprentice awards. We are delighted that we now have T3 Training, along with Riverside and Dudley Colleges offering the Level 3 Geospatial Survey Technician Apprenticeship and we look forward to reporting further good news on this front in the weeks and months ahead.

Members of The Survey Association enjoy the benefits of recognition across the survey profession and stay up-to-date with the latest professional insights, guidance, and technologies.

To find out more about becoming a member, please go to https://www.tsa-uk.org.uk/membership/.

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The next phase

Since 2017, TSA has worked with industry partners and law enforcement to address the growing issue of survey equipment theft. In 2018, TSA partnered with SmartWater (now DeterTech) to record incidents and build a clearer national picture of the problem. With that successful foundation now in place, the formal partnership with DeterTech has concluded and TSA is moving into the next phase of action to further strengthen protection for the survey profession.

When TSA’s Council met in October, it agreed for TSA to become a Donor organisation to the National Construction and Agriculture Theft Team (NCATT). This is headed by Supt Andy Huddleston, who has already spoken at TSA events and directly supported members. TSA joins the Donor Group which consists of the Construction Equipment Association, Construction Plant Association and Hire Association Europe, as well as insurers and suppliers.

A specialist unit

NCATT is a dedicated unit within Northumbria Police. It supports police forces to respond to thefts and target the perpetrators that are often the same offenders that officers are dealing with for construction and agricultural machinery theft. So there’s a mutual benefit of communicating information. NCATT is the UK’s only fully industry-funded specialist police unit. It will also carry out sting operations and provide both monthly and quarterly reports on its activities, which will be circulated to TSA members in the strictest confidence.

If you are unfortunate enough to be targeted by thieves, you must report to the police immediately where the unit was stolen. This is imperative, as they are responsible for investigating the crime – and only they can circulate the items as ‘stolen’ on police systems. In instances where equipment is live tracking and the owner cannot get a response from the police, contact NCATT immediately. In any report, copy the manufacturer of the stolen equipment into your information. This works twofold – firstly, so they are aware of the theft, secondly so the manufacturer can log it on their system as missing. In some cases, the manufacturer will be able to let NCATT know if someone is trying to service stolen equipment, as the item will show up as being stolen – just like the way a car numberplate can be traced on stolen vehicles.

Reporting of all thefts and attempted thefts is essential in the fight against surveying crime. All the information on how to report theft is on TSA’s dedicated webpage here.

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We are delighted to report that we have seen some successes when it comes to the recovery of stolen items. It was also very pleasing to see the theft of survey equipment being included in the Theft of Tools Trade Bill debate in the House of Commons earlier in the summer.

Our CEO Rachel Tyrrell has also been in correspondence regarding addressing this challenge with Shadow Cabinet Minister Louie French, Member of Parliament for Old Bexley and Sidcup, with the promise of a meeting with him and the lead officer in the Met Police who is working on the issue. Mr French is leading the charge to make sentences tougher for those who steal essential equipment and it is really encouraging to see this problem being taken seriously at parliamentary level.

The Survey Association is also looking to formally support the work of NCATT (National Construction and Agriculture Theft Team), which is run by Northumbria Police. NCATT  has already spoken at various TSA events and has supported individual survey companies in the immediate aftermath of equipment theft too. 

In addition to all this work being carried out behind the scenes, it is vitally important that all thefts or attempted thefts are reported. This is so that the accurate weight of evidence can be brought to unlock funding and effective action.

Reporting a crime could not be easier, as TSA’s website has a Report a Theft button on the dedicated Equipment Theft page, which automatically generates all the prompts to fill in all the required information that the police require, making it effective and efficient. You can even report historic thefts in this way too.

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