Initial steps towards an open cadastre in the UK: a case study
Publication Date
July 18, 2024
Creator
Abstract
Purpose: To develop a proof-of-concept for a UK community cadastre using open data and open-source software.
Design/Methodology/Approach: The study used a community-led approach, working with a climate change charity in The Meadows, Nottingham, as a case study. A methodology proposed for developing an open-source data processing workflow to provide communities with detailed information on housing archetypes and land ownership. The research developed a proof-of-concept for a UK community cadastre to support local retrofitting measures such as loft insulation to reduce carbon emissions. The result uses open data sources such as Local Authority Data, OpenStreetMap, and INSPIRE Index Land Polygons. It uses open-source software, including QGIS, MMQGIS plugin, Jupyter Notebooks, Python, and Felt.com.
Findings: The study successfully developed a proof-of-concept open-source web application, leveraging exclusively open data and open-source software.
Practical implications: The findings have the following practical implications: 1) The study provides a scalable model that can be adopted by other communities aiming to improve their housing stock’s energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions; 2) The use of open data and open-source software makes this approach financially accessible, even for communities with limited resources. 3) By offering a transparent view of land ownership, the application could potentially democratise land use management, offering an alternative to the existing secretive system in the UK.
Originality/value: This study is original in applying INSPIRE Index Polygons, a data set with limited exploration in geospatial research, and in creating a workflow that brings together relevant open-source software with open data. The developed resource can accelerate community-driven efforts to combat climate change while also beginning to address the complexities and opacity of land ownership in the UK.
Item Type
ethesis
Thesis Type
MRes
Supervisors
Subjects (LC)
Associated Schools / Departments
Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering (UK)
eprints ID
77351
UoN Repository URI
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