Geographic information

Mapping

Land Registry has been working with Ordnance Survey (OS) to evaluate MasterMap. OS MasterMap is an intelligent digital map designed by Ordnance Survey for use with geographical information systems (GIS) and databases. Based on the National Grid, it includes topographic information on every landscape feature – buildings, roads, phone boxes, postboxes, landmarks – and represents a significant evolution from traditional cartography.

We are running a project that was originally intended to explore how we might exploit the benefits offered by the MasterMap data but within the environment of the more traditional LandLine mapping format. LandLine is a comprehensive dataset that depicts man-made and natural features ranging from houses, factories, roads and rivers to marshland and administrative boundaries, and is currently used by Land Registry to maintain and develop the Land Register. This project was initiated to safeguard our business against the possibility of a sudden withdrawal of the LandLine product. However, since then, Ordnance Survey has indicated that LandLine will be maintained for the foreseeable future. This has provided us with the opportunity to change the thrust of the project, to better evaluate the advantages that MasterMap can bring to our business in terms of data integrity and spatial searching.

The project has identified a number of potential benefits to existing business processes and proposed business development initiatives. We are now exploring more far-reaching changes to our Geographic Information Strategy based on the business benefits offered by OS MasterMap.