Topo & Measured Building survey | Chocolate Works, York

Providing rich land and building data helped developers section this large site into a unique mixed-use development.

Project Overview

The Chocolate Works in York was the confectionery factory of popular chocolate maker, Terry’s & Sons. Famous for producing the Chocolate Orange, Terry’s All Gold and the less well known Chocolate Apple, among others, the factory on the outskirts of York first opened in 1926.

Unfortunately, when chocolate production moved to Europe in 2005, the factory was permanently closed. However, the iconic building has been given a new lease of life by developers, Henry Boot and David Wilson Homes. This joint venture sees the creation of a mixed-use scheme, including: luxury residential apartments, a care home facility for the elderly, and a new leisure development boasting a cinema, offices, retail and food outlets.

Met Consultancy Group were first called onto the project in 2006, to survey the site prior to architectural designs and planning permission documents being drawn up. The team have re-visited site many times over the intervening period to update reports and conduct further surveys of additional areas and buildings.

Technical Overview

Met’s survey team conducted topographical and measured building surveys of the whole development area, as well as detailed floor plans, roof plans and elevations of the factory buildings within the site; including the clock tower, old liquor store, storage buildings and the company HQ building.

With a large development of this nature, it’s typical that survey work takes place in stages. The Met team completed initial topographical survey work on the site, before later receiving instruction on areas of more interest, including buildings which required detailed surveying such as floor plans, elevations and cross sections. Maintaining robust records of site visits, and a consistent survey team, meant that we could easily recreate control points, and stitch together survey data spanning across various time periods. This meant richer survey data was available with each visit.

The team used total stations and MBS software to collect data, and generate CAD drawings for use by the developers and architects. The data we provided was used as the basis for master planning and detailed design of the site, and to split the large site area into various development ‘parcels’.

Working closely with our client to understand which areas of the site would be developed for residential and retail purposes, meant that we could economise our surveying practices, saving time and money for the client, as well as future development partners.

The early phases of the scheme are already completed, with residential apartments launching in April 2016 and the York Care Village officially opening in May 2017. Developers are now moving into the final stages of the project, with planning permission granted for a leisure development, including cinema.

We’re thrilled to have been involved in such an extensive and significant project, and wish everyone the best of luck with future development.

Find out more about our topographical survey, measured building survey and utility mapping services, or contact us for a quote.