Unlocking Government Location Data with OS MasterMap to Boost Economy

As part of the Prime Minister’s London Tech Week roundtable, the Government has announced that key parts of the OS MasterMap will be made openly available for the public and businesses to use in the hope to drive innovation across the UK economy.

It is estimated that this will boost the UK economy by at least £130m each year, as innovative companies and start-ups use the data. This is a step on a journey towards more open geospatial data infrastructure for the UK.

The release of OS MasterMap data is one of the first projects to be delivered by the new Geospatial Commission, in conjunction with Ordnance Survey. The aim is to continue to drive forward the UK as a world leader in location data, helping to grow the UK’s digital economy by an estimated £11bn each year. OS MasterMap data already supports emerging technologies such as driverless vehicles, 5G and connected cities.

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, David Lidington, said “Releasing this valuable government data for free will help stimulate innovation in the economy, generate jobs and improve public services. Location-aware technologies are revolutionising our economy. From navigating public transport to tracking supply chains and planning efficient delivery routes, these digital services are built on location data that has become part of everyday life and business. The newly available data should be particularly useful to small firms and entrepreneurs to realise their ideas and compete with larger organisations, encouraging greater competition and innovation.”

Neil Ackroyd, Interim CEO of Ordnance Survey said “Ordnance Survey holds the most accurate and comprehensive set of location data for Great Britain, making public sector services work more efficiently and helping to build innovative businesses across every sector of the economy. Since its launch in 2001, OS MasterMap has been one of the most comprehensive and detailed geospatial reference datasets in the world. This latest development is another step on Ordnance Survey’s open data journey. We’re looking forward to supporting the Geospatial Commission in making this data more accessible and more widely used.”