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Improving the representation of urban development in OS MasterMap

Our Government and Business customers have for many years given us feedback on how we could improve our geospatial content. As a result, we are now looking to change the scope of data we collect, maintain and deliver within urban areas. Over the next year, we will be trialling content improvements in mainly the Bristol and Bath area with the view to undertaking a full programme of improvement in urban areas (approximately 14 000 km2) over a number of years. The intention is to ensure that the features we collect and maintain in urban areas reflect as closely as possible to how they are in the real world.  

Some of the more common changes that you will start to see in your OS MasterMap Topography Layer updates include: 

  • increased numbers of building extensions and private garages
  • improved currency of minor paths for example those in parks and cemeteries 
  • consistent capture of extents used to establish the continuation of one feature under another for example a river under a bridge
  • reclassification of line work for example where a front property wall has been removed to allow for front of property parking
  • inclusion of changes relating to important detail which is often difficult to know has undergone some change for example kerb alterations

Latest news

Click content improved area screenshots to see folders for each refesh.

Brislington (Bristol) area – pre-content improvement

Image of Bristol area to show April 2011 Imagery with pre urban content improved OS MasterMap Topography Layer

Brislington (Bristol) area – post-content improvement

Image of Bristol area to show April 2011 Imagery with post urban content improved OS MasterMap Topography Layer

These improvements will also filter through to a number of products that use the same source data; for example, OS VectorMap® District and OS VectorMap® Local. In the future, they will also fuel new product developments some of which are currently or about to be released as OS Insight Consultations.

Please be assured that these improvements are within the bounds of the existing product specification and, therefore, will not interfere with your data loading routines in any way. We are working with a cross-market user group for the Bristol area, in order to ensure customer views are represented as we progress with the improvements.

If you have any questions about these improvements, please contact your account manager or email osmastermap@ordnancesurvey.co.uk.

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For general enquiries, complaints, feedback or suggestions, email: customerservices@ordnancesurvey.co.uk or call us on 08456 05 05 05