Insight User Guide: Past land use

The Past land use data included in the Groundsure Insight reports is derived from Groundsure’s historical map collection and split into six land use categories as described below.

The data is supplied as ‘grouped’ where the features are intelligently grouped into contiguous features based on their spatial similarity and land use feature type. They are supplied with the date range through which they appear on historical mapping.

Due to the nature of the historical maps from which these features are derived, what is infact the same feature may not appear in exactly the same place from edition to edition.

Similarly, the greater the length of time that activities took place, then the greater the likelihood that contaminants may be present.

Should the need arise to investigate the component parts of any grouped feature the raw, ‘un-grouped’ features are still available in the subsequent section, and linked with an ‘Group ID’

Historical industrial land uses

Potentially contaminative land use features digitised from historical Ordnance Survey (OS) mapping at 1:10,560 and 1:10,000 scale. These features are recorded in terms of the type of specific activities that took place (either given by a map label or inferred from setting, and map symbols) and the date at which the activity took place.

Historical tanks

Above ground tank features from historical Ordnance Survey mapping at high-detail 1:2,500 and 1:1,250 scale. The historical tank database was produced by capturing the locations of above ground tanks from high detail mapping dating back to the 1840s.

The tank database includes and is limited to information shown on historical OS maps. As these relate to what can be seen by surveyors when they map the area, underground tanks or tanks within buildings will not be identified. There is no commercially available database of underground tanks / tanks within buildings, as the records are typically held by the Petroleum Licensing Department (which can be within the Local Authority) and this usually requires a consultation in order to obtain.

Historical energy features

Energy features digitised from historical Ordnance Survey mapping at high-detail 1:2,500 and 1:1,250 scale. These include features such as gasometers, substations and power stations.

Historical petrol stations

Petrol stations digitised from historical Ordnance Survey mapping at high-detail 1:2,500 and 1:1,250 scale. This dataset includes those locations that only provided fuel.

Ordnance Survey (OS) categorises sites that are solely equipped for refuelling as ‘Petrol Filling Stations’. If the site is used for more than refuelling, then they will have applied the label ‘garage’.

Historical garages

Garages digitised from historical Ordnance Survey mapping at high-detail 1:2,500 and 1:1,250 scale. This dataset includes features such as vehicle repair sites and MOT garages.

A site being labelled as a ‘garage’ is because processes at the site include more than refuelling alone. If the site is used for more than refuelling, then they apply the label ‘garage’ and not ‘petrol station’.

Historical military land

Areas of military land that have been digitised from military records and historical mapping. This database currently holds hundreds of sites covering 16,830ha of land within England, Wales and Scotland. This data was compiled by Groundsure from multiple sources including the National Archives, local records, MOD records and other verified sources. It shows the location and extent of these sites as well as a summary of activities on site and the years of operation.

The Groundsure Insight report only includes sites operated by the Ministry of Supply/Royal Ordnance. This is a limited dataset as sites operated by other military such as the Admiralty or the Ministry of Defence do not appear within the Groundsure Insight reports. The military sites data is not exhaustive, Groundsure is continually adding sites to this database.