

23 June 2008, 5:48pm
23 June 2008, Worcester: CENTREMAPS is now giving construction industry professionals access to complete mapping data of Northern Ireland from Land & Property Services (formerly Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland®) at centremapslive.com.
Offering complete coverage of Northern Ireland, centremapslive.com brings Land & Property Services’ (LPS) mapping data along with data from other sources together in one location. This gives construction and planning professionals unprecedented ease of access when it comes to finding quickly the maps and data they require, through the simple, browser-based user interface, before they ‘cut out’ and download the parts they need in the required scales and format.
Andrew Terry, Technical Manager for centremapslive.com explains: “Launching the availability of data for Northern Ireland means that we can now extend those benefits to professionals working outside the GB market as well. The interface also brings users the added advantage of being able to freely access many of the LPS data layers for viewing before making any commitment to purchase. This in turn allows the provision of extensive functionality including various tools to query and annotate the data with the option to create extracts that can be easily downloaded.”
In addition to the primary raster and vector databases, users can access and licence LPS data including terrain models, orthophotography and historical maps. Available in a range of formats - including DXF and DWG type formats for CAD and GIS users - data can also be downloaded in unique PDF format with layering capability. This enables customers to easily switch between different views using standard, free Adobe PDF viewing software – essential to those who do not have access to GIS or CAD software.
Crawford McIlveen, Land & Property Services Channel Development Branch Manager, adds: “As well as providing high value solutions to help professionals access site specific LPS data for Northern Ireland, centremapslive.com also helps address copyright issues – an area of long-standing concern for many users by supporting data licensing.”
Launched in 2006, centremapslive.com is the definitive web-based mapping tool. As well as now providing access to LPS data the centremaplive.com account and licensing management tool also caters for companies that need to be aware of map holdings both within and across offices – alerting them to pending licence expiry. This facility means users can place orders and see, on screen, any existing data purchases that they – or any other member of the organisation - has previously placed.

Each month we select a hot topic and a leading figure in the industry to write about it.HAVE WE REALLY LEARNT THE LESSONS FROM LAST YEAR’S FLOODS?
Flooding costs associated with extreme weather, both financial and emotional, have increased considerably over the last decade, and experts have predicted this trend is set to continue.
Paul Livett, Chairman of GroundSure looks into how increasing the use of flood risk information in property transactions can help to ensure both residential and commercial transactions are conducted on a truly informed basis, with buyers being made aware of environmental risks prior to purchase.
Over 2.2 million homes and small businesses in the UK are located in areas considered at risk of flooding, and the Association of British Insurers (ABI) has said that 570,000 of these face a high risk of flooding. The floods in June and July last year left approximately 48,000 households… More…
Paul Livett
Chairman of GroundSure