The UK is under increasing pressure to deliver more homes, strengthen national infrastructure, and meet ambitious environmental goals – from the New Towns Taskforce to the reforms introduced in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill.
This is not unique to land and property; every industry has growing data availability and an exponentially high expectation to make sense of it with the onset of generative AI.
A core lesson that can be taken from a geospatial context is the fundamental foundation of accurate, auditable and connected data.
As we celebrate GIS Day today (November 19) we should recognise how Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have become a critical enabler of ambitious private and public sector demands, whether that has been in the execution of business strategy or the development of policymaking.
Appropriate and informed, place-based decision-making at national and local levels unlocks practical value. While data is widely recognised as vital, geospatial data, which connects people, places and infrastructure to location, can add a new dimension in shaping how decisions are made and implemented.
REAL-WORLD POLICY CHALLENGES
GIS and geodata empower policymakers by linking and visualising previously disconnected insights across land, property and environment.
Viewed as a map or analysed spatially, government can identify patterns that reveal both opportunity and risk, including where new homes can be built most sustainably, how infrastructure investment can be better targeted and where communities can thrive.
This intelligence is helping to solve real-world policy challenges and through partnerships with organisations such as HM Land Registry, DEFRA and the Home Office we have built a strong evidence base of what can be achieved when GIS is aligned with policymaking ambition.
THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT
GIS is an invaluable tool when used by devolved governments to identify areas of poverty and inequality.
The Scottish Government used Landmark’s PointX data within the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD), a tool that ranked 6,976 data zones from most to least deprived, using metrics across seven domains: income, employment, education, health, crime, housing and access to services.
PointX data underpinned several of these domains by mapping the proximity of essential amenities such as GP surgeries, fuel stations, post offices and schools, helping the Scottish Government understand inequality and target policy where it was most needed and effective.
HISTORIC ENGLAND
Another example comes from Landmark’s partnership with Historic England. Through GIS, Historic England was able to restore 460 shopfronts, transforming many into new community spaces, such as cinemas and market halls, and deliver 224 quality homes.
Utilising Landmark’s PointX data, the project mapped patterns of occupancy and vacancy across High Street Heritage Action Zones, providing a detailed picture of how different types of properties were being used.
The analysis enabled Historic England’s economists and data scientists to identify and measure the impact of vacant premises, informing strategies to revitalise local economies. By making best use of GIS, the project became a key driver of civic pride, breathing new life into long-neglected parts of communities.
BETTER OUTCOMES
In celebration of GIS Day, we recognise the ability of GIS and geodata to continue to change the world for the better.
It has a superpower to provide answers that were previously not considered; though, it can often lack the right questions in context.
Therefore, effective collaboration between GIS professionals and policymakers is critical to ask the right questions together.
The examples above showcase best practice in how spatial insight can underpin the delivery of several national priorities.
When datasets are applied to real-world problems, the result is better outcomes for people and places.
Moving forward, industry must now work together to improve the accessibility and adoption of GIS location-based thinking, ensuring that policy can become even more responsive, investment more strategic, and delivery more efficient.
NEW TOWN VISIONS
As the UK sets out its vision for new towns, infrastructure renewal and environmental protection, GIS provides the ability to drive forward these ambitions through scalable, connected insights that serve both national and local needs.
It enables policymakers to consider the country’s strategic planning priorities at a national level, while offering the granular and nuanced approach needed to respond to the unique challenges of local communities.
This helps government plan, build and protect our lived environment more effectively.
