A New Option From Ordnance Survey

National mapping agency announces the launch of a new Internet-based service for large-scale digital mapping products.

Architects, developers, surveyors and engineers can now access the country's most detailed, accurate and up-to-date mapping database at a touch of a button.

This vast electronic map covers the whole of Britain and contains nearly half a billion landscape features - this adds up to more than a terabyte of information (that's 1 099 511 627 776 bytes!) It is updated thousands of times a day by Ordnance Survey's team of over 350 field surveyors.

Access is available directly through the Ordnance Survey Options web site and sign up and invoicing is set up through a network of 60 outlets nationwide.

Surveyors such as Andy Skinner of SDP Surveys, part of SDP Consulting Engineers Ltd, can now access the data whenever they need it.

Andy explained: 'We carry out structural and civil engineering work and also land surveying.

As with other professionals in this field we need to be able to depend on the mapping data we work with, it has to be accurate and up to date.

We need to be sure that developments to the landscape have been included and recorded exactly.

In order that we can achieve this we access Siteplan, the required mapping for planning permission applications.

'Previously we had to hop in the car, drive to our local outlet and work with them to identify and retrieve the necessary mapping.

Then it was back to the office with the disk and an often time-consuming operation before we could make use of the mapping with our systems.

Now we can log onto the Internet, at any time of day or night, identify the precise area we need, preview it and by using Superplan mapping download it straight away in a format that is instantly compatible with our CAD software.' As well as Superplan and Siteplan, a third product, Landplan is available through OptionsT.

Landplan is a high-quality graphic map that gives an impression of the lie of the land.

Melanie Osborne, Options Marketing Manager at Ordnance Survey said: 'This new service is all about flexibility and convenience.

Customers can now access our mapping database when they wish and select the precise and most up-to-date mapping for their requirements.

They also have the added comfort of being able to contact their local Options outlet for any queries or print requirements'.

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