Land reconnaissance and GIS plan

The Project Office › Cedwyn Estate › Land reconnaissance

Work package P2-ARG-01
Stage Discovery
Status Not commissioned as a land purchase

Identify whether a suitable, legally available and environmentally responsible site can be found south of Puerto Madryn. This is a search brief: no coordinates, parcel, owner, purchase option or preferred lot has been established.

Purpose and constraints

Define the search before fieldwork

The search is for a museum-house and interpreted landscape inspired by the original Tŷ Mawr estate. It should not assume a particular landowner, available property, boundary or planning status.

Acreage alternatives to reconcile

Working reference	Approximate metric equivalent	Control
106 acres	42.9 hectares	Keep as a separate case until the Welsh source and parcel extent are reconciled.
166 acres	67.2 hectares	Keep as a separate case; do not silently combine or substitute for the 106-acre reading.

These are research alternatives, not the dimensions of a selected Argentine purchase. The site brief may ultimately use a smaller footprint or adapt an existing building.

Geographic principle

The Cardiff–Tŷ Mawr–coast and Puerto Madryn–future site–coast relationship is a design hypothesis. Use defined points and identical distance methods for any comparison; label route distance separately from straight-line distance.

Desktop reconnaissance

Before visiting land

Define search boundary and GIS method; document data source, date, coordinate reference system and accuracy.
Map the historical Welsh site, Cardiff reference point, shoreline references and Puerto Madryn town centre so the geographic concept can be tested fairly.
Develop a broad search area south of Puerto Madryn, then shortlist at least three plausible candidate areas if available data supports it.
Screen cadastral information, current title, ownership and authority to negotiate through local counsel. Do not infer availability from an online map.
Overlay planning/zoning, road access, rights of way, water supply, wastewater, electricity, telecoms, topography and public services.
Identify conservation designations, sensitive habitats, wildlife corridors, shoreline/coastal rules, flood exposure, fire/weather exposure and any cultural or community constraints.
Estimate travel times for visitors, construction access, material supply, emergency services and staff.

Site visits and due diligence

Written permission and local specialists

Field visits occur only after land access is authorised. Appoint local legal, survey, environmental and planning specialists under written scopes. A visit is not a title investigation, and a visual inspection cannot establish soil suitability, water rights or permission to build.

Confirm cadastral identification, seller authority, encumbrances, easements and permitted uses with local counsel.
Commission topographic survey and preliminary ground/soil assessment for shortlisted sites where proportionate.
Confirm water availability and lawful extraction, wastewater options, drainage, fire access and infrastructure costs.
Undertake a qualified ecological screen before any landscape, trail or equestrian plan.
Seek early feedback from municipal/regional planning staff and local cultural groups, without implying endorsement.

Comparison matrix

Scoring proposed for approval

Criterion	Proposed weight	Evidence required
Title, legal access and permitted use	25%	Local counsel written review
Environment and climate exposure	20%	Mapping and qualified field opinion
Utilities and access	15%	Provider/authority input and cost estimates
House–town–coast concept	15%	Reproducible GIS measurements
Community and visitor access	10%	Consultation and demand assumptions
Total cost and delivery risk	15%	Land, infrastructure and lifecycle cost range

Weights are a draft method, not an approved decision. A fatal legal, safety or environmental constraint overrides a high numerical score.

Required outputs and stage gate

Acceptance criteria

GIS atlas showing assumptions, distance measures, constraints and data quality.
Land schedule with cadastral identifier only where lawfully established, source date and due-diligence status.
Shortlist comparison with cost ranges, red flags, consultation notes and explicit information gaps.
Local professional opinions and recommendation to proceed, amend the search, use an existing building or stop.

Gate: no offer, deposit or purchase approval until title/authority, permitted use, environmental feasibility, access/utilities and a preliminary cost case have passed independent review.

Cost baseline: to be quoted by local professionals. Schedule baseline: set only after access to cadastral data and the applicable planning pathway is understood.