Where to source scale maps to import into Vectorworks?

[deadtomorrow]

Hi everyone! I'm starting a new design for a garden (it's reasonably large at a couple of acres but not too big) and would like to buy a scale map of the boundaries. I've found a few places online offering OS maps etc, but I wondered if anyone could recommend one to make sure I'm not missing out on anything useful or low cost? 

[Tom W.]

I use Promap OS MasterMap

[unearthed]

Quite a few sources in the UK, but not as good as many offshore like here in NZ, but still some useful data

 

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/data-downloads/ - useful if you've a historic site, or abut one.

 

OS have some free data - but sometimes a trawl to find it https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/business-government/tools-support/gis/what-is-gis

 

Also if people know your county, and UK nation can help us to help you as diffrent jurisdictions are freer, or less so, with their data.

 

Crown Estate free data - again pron. more useful for abuttals https://www.thecrownestate.co.uk/en-gb/resources/maps-and-gis-data/ unless the King wants you for a cloister!

 

This finds some useful stuff, using google:        site:.ac.uk "gis data"|"free data"|"opendata"

[line-weight]

Beware that OS map data isn't necessarily all that accurate if you want exact boundaries. Depends how much accuracy you need. As a % of the overall area of a 2 acre site it won't be that far off but if there are portions where you need it to be more accurate than within a couple of metres you're better to survey it.

 

Aerial imagery can sometimes be useful even just from Google earth... if it's reasonably high res for the area you're interested in. I sometimes survey some significant dimensions than use these to calibrate with an aerial image, then use this to trace off. Tree cover can scupper this though!

[deadtomorrow]

7 minutes ago, line-weight said:

Beware that OS map data isn't necessarily all that accurate if you want exact boundaries. Depends how much accuracy you need. As a % of the overall area of a 2 acre site it won't be that far off but if there are portions where you need it to be more accurate than within a couple of metres you're better to survey it.

 

Aerial imagery can sometimes be useful even just from Google earth... if it's reasonably high res for the area you're interested in. I sometimes survey some significant dimensions than use these to calibrate with an aerial image, then use this to trace off. Tree cover can scupper this though!

Thanks yes, I'm just using it as a starting base and will check all measurements and details on a survey next week. I was thinking of just using Google Maps for the main boundary but I'm not sure how accurate that is? 

[deadtomorrow]

57 minutes ago, Tom W. said:

I use Promap OS MasterMap

thanks Tom, I'm just looking at that, the OS Mastermap Hybrid looks perfect if it has a scale on it and I can export as DWG, do you know if that's possible? 

[Tom W.]

2 minutes ago, deadtomorrow said:

thanks Tom, I'm just looking at that, the OS Mastermap Hybrid looks perfect if it has a scale on it and I can export as DWG, do you know if that's possible? 

 

I'm not sure what 'Mastermap Hybrid' is I can only see standard MasterMap... Also not sure what you mean about scale + export as DWG. ProMap can supply in DWG format + it will be 1:1 scale + georeferenced. You can output at whatever scale you want. Try downloading a sample: https://www.promap.co.uk/maps-and-data/current-mapping/os-mastermap/ 

[Tom W.]

11 minutes ago, deadtomorrow said:

I was thinking of just using Google Maps for the main boundary but I'm not sure how accurate that is? 

 

Does Google Maps show property boundaries?

[VIRTUALENVIRONS]

2 hours ago, deadtomorrow said:

I was thinking of just using Google Maps for the main boundary but I'm not sure how accurate that is? 

 

The last time I took on a contract was for this type of work.  A marina needed to rebuild and reposition their docks to accommodate the increased size of boats, but they did not have a lot of room to move.  Surveying was an option, but an expensive option.

 

Instead of Google earth, I used Mac Maps.  Although similar, still different when I compared the two.

 

I enlarged the screen as much as possible and took a series of screen shots at the highest resolution.  Then I pieced them back together in Photoshop creating a fairly hi res map that I imported into VW's.   There was a clear cement 100 ft. dock that I could use as a reference point to set my units in VW's.  Then I rebuilt their docks in 2D and kept my fingers crossed.

 

It worked very well, the accuracy was plus or minus a foot.

[Pat Stanford]

@Tom W.You are in the UK like deadtomorrow. I vauglley remember something about maps and/or shape files being available through Ordinance or some other UK authority. Any input?

[Tom W.]

26 minutes ago, Pat Stanford said:

I vauglley remember something about maps and/or shape files

 

You might be thinking about the Bind to Feature Layer function which was discussed a bit here: 

 

To be honest I didn't play with it too much because I was only looking for data over + above what I already possessed via MasterMap but you're right, it might be worth @deadtomorrow having a look + seeing whether they can get the boundary/property data they need from there for free...

 

In the screenshot in the linked post, the mapping in grey is the MasterMap data I already possess + the blue geometry (rivers) is what I got from the feature layer. But the rivers are already part of the mastermap data - with more detail + more accurately represented - so no great benefit to the operation in my case really. The advantage is that the geometry has record data attached to it

 

 

I purchased a large amount of data from ProMap so it was quite expensive - plus I have to relicense it annually - but I'd be interested to know what a one-off 2 acre plot costs: hopefully not too much...?

 

 

[line-weight]

I'm in the UK too.

 

The Ordnance Survey provides certain mapping data for free, but I don't think any of it is detailed enough to be useful for things like property boundaries.

 

https://osdatahub.os.uk/downloads/open

 

Also, what you can download tends to be in a variety of formats that aren't totally straightforward to get into Vectorworks. It mostly assumes that you use some kind of GIS application. I continually get half way through managing to understand how this all works and then get distracted and by the time I look again I've forgotten.

 

There are certain datasets that can be pulled directly into VW using the Geoimage tool, right?

 

Again something I continually get halfway through figuring out what it can do.

[Pat Stanford]

That's too bad.  Many counties here in the US have a fair amount of GIS data available. Many include shape files of properties boundaries.

 

Thanks for educating me on UK process.