PAPER
MAPS
Q. I must obtain a map of my property, what does
Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland (OSNI®) supply?
A.
The Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland ACEmap®™ (Address Centred Extract) is an extract from the large
scale map database centred on an address or grid reference of your chosing. It is supplied at 1:5000,
1:2500, 1:1250 or 1:500 scale on five different page sizes ranging from A4 to approximately A0.
The
area shown on the ACEmap will depend on the scale you require the ACEmap to be printed at and the size
of map you require.
For further
information on our products please check out the Mapstore page of this site.
Q.
What information do I need to give to Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland to get an ACEmap?
A.
To help Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland locate your property you should supply the full postal address,
including postcode and townland if known.
Acemaps
can be extracted from the database where the customer supplies the Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland
an Irish Grid co-ordinate at the centre of the area required. Where possible the inclusion of copies
of site maps or any other material which could help identify your property will speed up the delivery
of your ACEmap.
Q.
How can I buy an ACEmap?
A. You
can now purchase ACEmaps online using this website or they can be bought in person at the Ordnance Survey
of Northern Ireland Map Shop. This is situated at;
Ordnance
Survey of Northern Ireland,
Colby House,
Stranmillis
Court,
Malone Lower,
Belfast
BT9 5BJ.
The
Map Shop is open Monday to Friday 9:15 to 4:30.
Postal
requests for ACEmaps to the above address should be accompanied by a cheque covering map cost and postage
and packaging. All cheques should be crossed and made payable to the Department of Culture, Arts and
Leisure. Our target is to turnaround 94.5% of all orders within six working days. This is currently
being met. Staff who answer your call also process your order.
Orders
can also be made by telephone using a Visa, Mastercard, Switch or Delta card.
Tel
028 90255767 or 028 90255769
We
can also be contacted by Fax No. 02890255735 or E-mail mapsales@osni.gov.uk
Q.
What if my property is not shown on the map yet?
A.
If you require an ACEmap and your property has not yet been surveyed, you can request an update for
ACEmap and your request will be incorporated as appropriate within our Continuous Revision Programme.
When the new survey information has been added to our database you will be informed and you can then
order the updated map over the phone if required.
Q.
How long will this update take, is there a charge?
A.
The update request will have to be fitted into the Continuous Revision programme where changes are grouped
together to ensure efficiency. The turnaround time for any particular request can vary due to operational
reasons. We are currently reviewing our charging policy for this service in order to better facilitate
genuinely urgent requests.
DIGITAL DATA
Q. How do I license OSNI digital data?
A.
OSNI does not sell its digital data but rather licenses the use of it (for a fee) on an annual basis
to our customers.
If a customer
wishes to order OSNI data they must place their order on an OSNI digital data order form (Digital 1
).The terms and conditions for licensing the use of OSNI data are contained in the Standard Digital
Data Licensing Terms, which is part of the Digital Data Supply and Licence form (Digital 1 ). This agreement
must be signed before OSNI will supply you with the data.
If
a customer wishes to sub-license data, the customer must be licensed to hold OSNI data (Digital 1) and
both parties i.e. customer and consultant must complete and sign a sub-licence (Digital 5) to temporarily
transfer the data to the consultant. This sub-licence is available by clicking here (Digital 5).
OSNI
refers to each customer order for digital data as a Digital Order ( D.O.). Digital Sales allocates a
unique reference number to each D.O. they receive. This D.O. number is used as an easy reference number
for both the customer and OSNI.
Q. How does
a consultant do work for a customer?
A.
The customer must be licensed to hold OSNI data (Digital 1) and both parties, i.e. customers and consultants,
must complete and sign a sub-licence to temporarily transfer the data. This sub-licence is available
on this website (click here for Digital 5).
Q.
Can I license large amounts or all of OSNI's Digital data?
A.
Yes, OSNI is willing to license customers all of our digital data. In this case you will be required
to sign a Supply and Licence Agreement, which will be drawn up to cover your specific business needs.
The data will be released following completion of this process. To initially discuss these issues, please
contact Service Delivery section.
Q.
How long can OSNI data be licensed for?
A.
OSNI data is licensed on an annual basis to the customer. At the end of the license period for each
Digital Order OSNI will send the customer an "Annual Renewal Form". On this form the customer
is given the option to either renew or cancel their licence for OSNI data. If the customer chooses to
renew their licence they will be charged an annual licence fee. Theoretically a customer can be licensed
to use OSNI data for as long they wish providing they pay their annual licence fee each year.
Q.
How do I order OSNI digital data?
A.
The customer must order OSNI data on an OSNI Digital Data Supply and Licence order form (Digital 1).
When completing an order form the customer must take the following actions to ensure the swift processing
of their order:
· State the
required digital product i.e. vector / raster; scale etc.
· Identify
the location of interest i.e. plan number; sheet number ; coordinates etc. (OSNI can offer diagrams
to assist the customer identify the area of interest).
· State
the required format for the data i.e. Dxf; Dwg etc.
· Sign
the declaration to abide by the terms and conditions of Digital 1 .
· Estimate
the quantity of hardcopies to be downloaded from this data i.e. 100 x A4 copies.
· Pay
the licensing fee prior to the data being released if you don't have an account with OSNI.
Q.
How long does it take to supply data?
A.
Standard orders (i.e. less than 40 L/s files) will normally be dispatched within 6 working days of receipt
of the digital data order form.
In relation to large
orders a phased delivery schedule can be agreed when the order is placed.
Q.
What happens at the end of the Licensing period for a Digital Order?
A.
At the end of the annual licence period for a Digital Order OSNI will send the customer an "Annual
Renewal Form". On this form the customer will be asked to sign a declaration stating whether they
wish to renew or cancel their licence to use the data.
If
the customer chooses to:
· Renew
their licence for digital data they have to state the quantity of hardcopies they intend to download
and whether they require updates (large scale vector data only).
· Cancel
their licence to use OSNI data they must wipe the data from their computer systems and sign the appropriate
declaration on the annual renewal form.
Q.
Does OSNI permit it's data to be resold by either "Distributors" or "Value Added Resellers"?
A.
OSNI is always keen to consider new business proposals. Businesses that wish to become either a "Distributor"
or "Value Added Reseller" of OSNI data should contact the Commercial Account Manager.
Q.
How much does OSNI data cost?
A.
The licence fees for all OSNI digital products are contained in the current OSNI vector and raster price
lists. OSNI data is licensed on an annual basis, for each year that a customer chooses to license OSNI
data they will have to pay an annual licensing fee.
The
fees contained in the OSNI price list are largely self explanatory however outlined below are the main
points to remember when considering the cost of OSNI data.
Q.
Could you tell me the digital mapping coverage for Northern Ireland?
A.
OSNI has complete coverage of Northern Ireland at a range of scales in both vector and raster formats.
Q.
Do I need permission to display OSNI Data on the Internet?
A.
Yes, a customer must apply in writing if they wish to display OSNI data on the Internet. The customer
must not display OSNI data on the Internet until they have been granted permission. The permission is
valid for one year from the date of issue and if the customer wishes to continue to display OSNI data
they must pay the associated annual fees. Information relating to the terms and conditions for displaying
OSNI data on the Internet can be obtained from Digital Supply and Copyright. You should also refer to
the Publishing section under Licensing on our website.
Q.
Copyright and Digital Data.
A. Customers
are only permitted to make hardcopies from their licensed data for their internal business use. The
quantity and paper size of hardcopies they intend to print must be recorded on the "Digital Data
Supply and Licence Form" (Digital 1 ) and the "Annual Renewal Form". All hardcopies carry
a royalty fee. The royalty fees for hardcopies are outlined in Copyright Royalties and Digital 1. A
customer who licenses OSNI data does not need a copyright licence to print hardcopies however if they
wished to photocopy these hardcopies then they would need a licence to copy OSNI maps. This can be applied
for on (Copying 1). If the customer wishes to produce a publication containing downloaded hardcopies
i.e. a report; they must seek a copyright permit from OSNI's Copyright Section. Further details relating
to the issues of copyright can be found in OSNI Copyright leaflets (Publishing 3 & Copying 3 ).
Q.
Why are compressed files necessary?
A.
When dealing with large images, excessive file size means that it is not convenient to store or distribute
the raster files in their original format. This means that file sizes need to be reduced or compressed.
OSNI uses compressed files when supplying 1:10 000 raster sheets and orthophotographs. The types of
compression used by OSNI are ECW and Mr SID. If you are unable to access ECW files you may need a plug-in.
Free plug-ins are available on the ER Mapper web site and free viewers are available from the Lizardtech
web site.
Q. Is
it possible to change a colour raster file into a black and white image?
A.
This is software dependent. Within GIS software there is usually a menu or switch that allows the raster
image to be converted into a black and white image.
Q.
I am at college/university, does OSNI provide reduced rates for educational research?
A.
OSNI provides an "Academic Licence" (Digital 4) for educational research for individual students
or research teams where this is clearly for educational or research purposes only and not for commercial
gain.
Q. Are Administrative Boundaries shown
on OSNI's large scale maps?
A. Yes,
both large scale paper maps and digital data show International, County, Local Government District,
Ward and Townland boundaries. OSNI also produce 1:50 000 small scale Administrative Boundary datasets.
Q.
What is Vector data?
A. The Association
for Geographic Information's definition of Vector Data is: -
An
abstraction of the real world where positional data is represented in the form of co-ordinates. In vector
data, the basic units of spatial information are points, lines and polygons. Each of these units is
composed simply as a series of one or more co-ordinate points, for example, a line is a collection of
related points, and a polygon is a collection of related lines.
The
OSNI Large Scale database consists of 1:1250 and 1:2500 scale vector mapping and the Pointer address
database. It forms the basis on which spatial information in Northern Ireland is held, or is related
to, either directly through a coordinated position on the Irish Grid, or indirectly through an address
or administration area.
All
features are recorded as cartographic elements - lines, symbols, text etc. - with related attributes,
within a hierarchical framework to categorize them by type of feature (building, wall, road edge, administrative
boundary etc).. The mapping data has been subject to continuous update and data no longer extant is
not discarded but is held separately and can be accessed when necessary.
Some
additional structure has been imposed on the data, creating polygons for cartographic objects such as
buildings, streets, waterways and areas of vegetation. Additional data has been recorded about road
centre lines, such as identification information, to enhance the value of the data, and to create datasets
separate from the large scale maps.
Further
enhancements of the large scale mapping data have been made to enable it to be used for the derivation
of medium scale (1:5,000, 1:10,000 and 1:20,000) products. These have included the generation of separate
text and contour data.
Q. What is Raster data?
A. Raster data is comprised of a series
of cells, which together form an overall picture. It is a means of storing and displaying maps in digital
format and is often produced either directly from the vector map or by scanning the original paper documents.
The
raster data can be positioned on the Irish Grid within a Geographic Information System by using
supplied TIFF World Files (or twf files). TWF files contain information about the origin point of the
raster file and the individual cell size. Each raster file is divided into a series of rows and columns
forming a grid. Each cell, within that grid, is rectangular in shape. The example below shows a sample
.twf file for OSNI 1:10,000 raster data.
0.63324538258575 Cell
size in the X plane (metres)
0.00000000000000 Rotation
in the X plane
0.00000000000000 Rotation in the Y plane
-
0.63347520538454 Cell size in the Y plane (metres)
284000 Irish
Grid Easting co-ordinate
386400 Irish Grid Northing
co-ordinate
The sign of the
‘cell size in the Y plane’ defines if the image insertion point is the upper left or lower left corner
for that cell. A positive Y value means that the origin point for the cell is the lower left corner
of the cell. A negative value means that the origin point is the upper left corner of the cell.
The
Easting and Northing co-ordinate values locate the file within the Irish Grid and allow tiles to
be loaded in their correct position relative to each other to form a continuous map.
The
suitability of Raster data for a particular task may depend on the scale and the scanning resolution.
It is available in colour or monochrome and at a range of scales. OSNI's raster data is particularly
useful as a backdrop to thematic data.
Raster
data:
· Can be provided for
most large and small scale maps. The data is subject to appropriate licensing arrangements at the time
of ordering. All common raster formats can be accommodated and normal digital copyright arrangements
apply.
· Is supplied as standard
in ECW (Enhanced Compressed Wavelet) and TIFF group 4.
· Is
stored at 400 dots per inch (dpi) unless otherwise stated, but is available at any resolution up to
800 dpi or the metric equivalent (Microns) as a special order.
Data
Capture Processes
Initial Data capture routes
The
data has been captured by four routes:
· digitizing
existing field documents;
· scanning and vectorising existing field documents;
·
field survey;
· air survey.
These
have different approaches to data capture and produce different outputs.
Digitizing.
The
vast majority of the data has been captured by blind digitizing of the field documents. This involves
tracing out the graphics and adding feature coding on a digitizing table, and then checking against
the original record. Centre lines are added for roads, double water features, railways, named paths
and paths in parks and forests. Squaring is also applied to buildings (unless they are classified as
non-square), so that they appear square on printed maps.
Scanning
& Vectorising.
This was introduced to speed up
production but was found to be ineffective. It created separate sets of solid lines, pecked lines and
text, which was manually identified, and feature coded.
Graphical
Field survey
Field survey uses many data capture
methods, Electronic Distance Measurement, Global Positioning System, Mobile pen-computers and traditional
surveying methods. Together these make up the main route for updating OSNI data. The surveyor takes
the current map (in either hardcopy or digital form) into the field and either records changes or resurveys
an area. The data is either fed back for digitizing or updating.
Files
are updated either as part of the Periodic Revision (PR) or Continuous Revision (CR) programmes. PR
operates three cycles: -
· 5 year cycle - Built up urban areas
·
7 year cycle - High density rural areas
· 10 year cycle - Low density rural
areas
The CR programme takes in major change in urban
areas (roads, building development) and can react to customer requests (Govt. Departments, Public Bodies
and Private customers)
The surveyor takes a copy of the map into the field
either as a Master Survey Document (MSD), using traditional methods to record changes to the MSD, or
as a digital file (DST) installed on a GEMS hand held computer. On completion in the field, MSD's and
DST's are returned to HQ for digitising or post-field processing.
Large surveys
need control points, fixed by Global Positioning System (GPS) equipment, from which, surveys are carried
out using Electronic Distance Measuring equipment (EDM).
OSNI is in the process
of introducing new technology into field survey, which will ultimately give the surveyor the ability
to record, structure and add associated data, to changes in the field. This will eliminate post-field
processing of DSTs.
Air
Survey
A large part of the survey work is undertaken
by aerial photogrammetry, for resurvey and map revision purposes. The photography is scanned and the
digital data is used in ATLAS photogrammetry systems. Once controlled and rectified, the images are
overlaid on the existing Large Scale digital map and compared for change and error. Changes to the topography
are identified, and three files are produced, one each for:
·
additions (new features)
· supressions (deletions)
·
shifts (correction of position due to merging of survey methods)
These
files are passed to digital update. Textual information, such as identification of objects, has still
to be collected by field survey.
Digital Update
Updating
procedures are carried out on database files, incorporating the changes identified by Field and Air
Survey. These changes are date stamped for archival purposes, and any associated data is amended.
POINTER
Q.
What is Pointer®?
A. Pointer is the
new address database being developed for Northern Ireland with the joint support of Ordnance Survey
of Northern Ireland (OSNI), the Valuation & Lands Agency (VLA) and Royal Mail. The project is independent
of the above organisations, and is managed through a Project Board with membership from the Central
Information Technology Unit for Northern Ireland (CITU(NI)), OSNI, RM, the Society of Local Authority
Chief Executives (SOLACE) represented by Ards Borough Council, VLA and Water Service.
For
the first time there is a common standard address for every property in Northern Ireland. Each property
has a unique reference number and geo-spatial coordinates. Pointer will provides infrastructural support
to private and public sector organisations alike. It allows quick and accurate sharing and analysis
of data and it supports a host of value added applications. Pointer has been created through a process
of complex data matching and intensive ground validation across Northern Ireland in order to maximise
the accuracy of the dataset.
Q.
How is an address defined within Pointer?
A.
Many organisations across the public and private sectors define an address to satisfy organisational,
business and operational requirements. To meet the needs of these organisations, the address held in
Pointer will be created by using two types of addressable object:
- Primary
Addressable Objects (an addressable object that can be addressed without reference to another addressable
object); and
- Secondary Addressable Objects (an addressable
object that is addressed by reference to a Primary Addressable Object).
Pointer
is maintained through the provision of data from Councils, Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland (OSNI),
the Valuation & Lands Agency (VLA) and Royal Mail.
Local
Councils have the statutory power to name roads and number premises so they will be the source of these
address elements. OSNI, Royal Mail and VLA will maintain other address elements such as geocodes, postcodes,
building classification, multi-occupancy and building status.
Q.
Who will determine what the correct address is in Pointer?
A.
The Pointer database has been populated through a data matching exercise between the address datasets
maintained by OSNI, VLA and Royal Mail. Unmatched data resulting from this exercise has been validated
on the ground. The Pointer Team works with Local Councils to confirm the correct version of street names.
In addition, the Pointer Team works with Local Councils to confirm the correct version of an address.
Q.
How has the Pointer database been created?
A.
A complex address matching exercise has been undertaken between the address datasets held by Ordnance
Survey of Northern Ireland, the Valuation & Lands Agency and Royal Mail. The resulting data (both
matched addresses and unmatched) is held in a relational database which has been developed in Oracle.
The database has a highly developed front end to enable validators to input and change data as a result
of the ground validation. It also enables a series of reports to be run to produce ongoing statistics
on progress. The unmatched address data is currently being checked on the ground through a process of
ground validation.
Q. What is ground validation?
A.
Ground validation is the verification, on the ground, of unmatched and partially matched addresses from
Royal Mail, Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland (OSNI) and the Valuation and Lands Agency (VLA). The
Ground Validation Officers conducting the validation are issued with a ground validation pack which
comprises:
- A map of
the area;
- The addresses to be validated; and
- Forms
for recording new buildings and organisation information.
An
ID number on the map highlights the buildings that need to be visited on the ground. When a property
is visited, the validator must record as much address information about the property as possible, including:
- Building
number;
- Building name;
- Street
name;
- Sub-building numbers;
- Organisation
name;
- Building status; and
- Building
use.
When the ground
work is completed, the validator returns to the office to enter the validated data onto the Pointer
database. There are various situations when a validator cannot determine the correct address on the
ground, for example, if there is no building number on the property and no occupier is available to
consult. In this case, a prepaid card is posted to the property, asking the occupier to verify their
correct address details. Other situations when an address may be difficult to verify include:
- New
buildings that are still under construction
- Industrial estates
- Hospitals
and healthcare parks
In
order to deal with complex addresses and data anomalies like those mentioned above, a Data Integrity
Team has been established within the Project Office. The validators record any complex issues and pass
these to the Data Integrity Team to resolve on their behalf. Other responsibilities of this team are:
Quality
checking and quality control; and
Database entry and
temporary geocoding of new properties / developments.
Quality
assessment is essential and is carried out on a continuous basis on both the ground and on the data
entry system.
Q. Why do we need to validate
this data?
A. The initial matching
exercise generated a core set of 565,000 matched address records, and 350,000 unmatched and partially
matched addresses. These were categorised as varying levels of match:
- Fully
matched records;
- Royal Mail & OSNI 2-way match;
- Royal
Mail & VLA 2-way match;
- OSNI & VLA 2-way match;
- Royal
Mail only records;
- OSNI only records; or
- VLA
only records.
As a result
of ground validation, a number of 2-way matched addresses and unmatched addresses have subsequently
been matched to other records. Therefore, the number of fully matched records is continuously increasing,
on a daily basis. The overall aim of the ground validation exercise is to maximize the number of fully
matched addresses, and decrease any unmatched records. Following all data collection activities, a number
of processes will be implemented to analyse the data and ensure high quality standards are adhered to
in all validated addresses, before data products and services are created.
Q.
Who will maintain organisation name details?
A.
Royal Mail will maintain this data.
Q. Are
non-postal premises held in Pointer?
A.
Yes, both VLA and OSNI hold a variety of non-postal premises such as ATMs, electricity sub stations,
car parks, play grounds etc. These will be flagged as non-postal premises in Pointer.
Q.
Will names be held in Pointer?
A.
Pointer will not hold the names of individuals.
Q.
Can Pointer hold dual names where more than one street/road name exists?
A.
Where Irish or Ulster Scots street names have been accepted by the Local Council in addition to the
statutory English thoroughfare name, these have been included in Pointer as an alternative thoroughfare
name.
Q. Will the Royal Mail Postcode Address
File (PAF) be updated from Pointer?
A.
Yes, all updates will be fed back to Royal Mail.
Q.
How will compliance with Pointer be enforced within Government?
A.
Pointer is not a compulsory system and will not be enforced within government departments and agencies.
It will be up to the discretion of individual departments and agencies to implement Pointer.
Q.
If there is only one geocode per building, does this mean there is no information about multi-occupancy
sites?
A. The address information
for multi-occupancy sites is held at the sub-building (Secondary Addressable Object) level. Although
the geocode will be the same for each sub building within the property, there will be a UPRN assigned
to each sub building.
Q. Why can the geocode
not be the actual address?
A. The
geocode of a building does not distinguish between sub buildings within a property, and therefore only
refers to the Primary Addressable Object level.
Q.
If an address is entered initially as a site number, how will this be updated when the full address
details are known?
A. Each address
will be allocated a Unique Property Reference Number (UPRN), which will be permanently associated with
the address throughout its lifetime. Therefore when the site number of a new property is changed to
a full address, the UPRN will still refer to the same property. This will enable Pointer to hold temporary
address data from a very early stage in the address life cycle.
Q.
Is Pointer BS 7666 compliant?
A.
A Technical Address Model Specification (TAMS) has been published, on the Pointer website (http://www.pointer-ni.gov.uk),
which specifies the fields held in the Pointer database. The TAMS was originally developed to support
and accommodate the matching of diverse address datasets from Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland, the
Valuation & Lands Agency and Royal Mail. As such, it allowed room for flexibility on the definition
of address objects such as locality and thoroughfare. This automated data matching process has now been
completed, and as a result, the TAMS is being revised to bring these definitions fully into line with
conventional addressing terminology, including BS7666-3:2000.
The
TAMS is not however a specification for any of the address dataset products which will be generated
from the Pointer database. For example, the current TAMS specifies a relationship between Primary Addressable
Objects and Secondary Addressable Objects which does not reflect the real world,
and is only enforced to maintain the integrity of the database. This relationship will not be reflected
in any dataset product which is consistent with BS7666-3:2000. While BS7666-3:2000 is applicable, in
principle, to addresses in Northern Ireland, it may in the future require modification to accommodate
local requirements. For example, a number of Councils in Northern Ireland have adopted a policy of neither
naming streets nor numbering properties in rural areas, which makes the representation of these addresses
in a BS7666-3:2000 dataset somewhat problematic. The Pointer project team will therefore be contributing
to the ongoing review of BS7666-3:2000.
A
dataset which is consistent with BS7666-3:2000 will be one of the core datasets which will be derived
from Pointer. This dataset will be generated using appropriate business rules for the formation of an
address which is consistent with the British Standard . These rules will be developed later this year,
in consultation with the IST/36 committee.
In
addition, Pointer has been allocated a set of UPRNs from the national hub, which will be allocated to
all addresses within the dataset. This will ensure consistency of UPRNs across Northern Ireland and
Great Britain.
Q. How will Pointer be maintained?
A.
The Pointer Project is aiming to manage the full life cycle of an address through the development of
an integrated address maintenance system involving OSNI, VLA, Royal Mail and Local Councils in Northern
Ireland. This will ultimately result in the development of proposals for a 'cradle to grave' integrated
address life cycle which will aim to maximise automation of the life cycle of an address and minimise
manual intervention.
Q. Will Townland names
be held in Pointer?
A. On 1 October
2001 the Assembly debated a motion that called on each Government Department to adopt a policy of using
and promoting townland names in all Government correspondence and official documents. The motion gained
cross-party support and was supported unanimously.
In
addition to highlighting the historical and cultural aspects of townland names, the Assembly also debated
the problem of simply using house numbers and street names for the Emergency Services. Examples were
quoted of some long roads that run for up to 10 miles, making it difficult for an emergency services
driver to locate a particular house if the numbering of properties along that road is inadequate.
In
May 2002, the Culture, Arts and Leisure Committee published a report of their inquiry into cultural
tourism and the arts. In particular, the Committee heard evidence about the use of townland names in
Northern Ireland:
"The
resonances of history and place, which Northern Ireland's townland names encapsulate, are even now almost
lost to the next generation. Furthermore, the old birth, marriage and death records, which are the […]
tourist's main source of information about his or her ancestors, tend to refer to the townland in which
the relevant event took place. The gradual erosion of familiarity with townlands and their boundaries
will, if not halted, eventually result in stalling the development of [this form of tourism]."
As
a result, the Committee recommended that:
"Government
departments, district councils and other public bodies, as well as the public utilities, should include
townland names on all postal communications."
Pointer
includes the townland name within its specification. It will also provide a central and cost effective
means of maintaining the townland name within the standard address held by the Public Sector. For the
Emergency Services, Pointer will provide a link between an address and an accurate geographic location
on the ground.
As a result,
every address which is held within the Pointer database will be integrally linked to both a townland
name and a geographic location.
COPYRIGHT
and PUBLISHING
Q. What OSNI material is covered
by copyright?
A. Crown Copyright
subsists in all of our products and is protected by 'The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988'. Our
material must not be copied without our prior written approval.
Q.
How long are they protected for?
A.
Crown Copyright subsists in our paper products, including aerial photographs, to the end of the first
year in which they were published and then for a further 50 years. Our digital database, however, is
constantly updated and will therefore always be in Copyright.
Q.
How may I legally reproduce OSNI material under copyright?
A.
You should apply to our Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Branch for permission to reproduce our products.
If permission is granted a permit or licence agreement will be issued and the appropriate royalty fee
charged. Each authorised reproduction must clearly show an 'acknowledgement to reproduce' and a permit/licence
number
Q. What do
I need a permit for?
A. Permits cover
publishing and website reproductions. 'Publishing' is anything
distributed
outside of your own office either free or for profit. A permit is exclusive and non-transferable, normally
relating to only one publication and its print run. Further reprints need a new permit (Publishing 1)
Q.
What do I need a licence for?
A.
Licences are issued for the supply and use of our digital data or conventional copying of our paper
maps or maps that are based on ours within your own office (Copying 1 ). Copyright Licenses are issued
for 12 months and are renewed once a year at 1st April.
Q.
What are redrawn maps?
A. These are
maps drawn or compiled with reference to our maps but are not exact copies or similar to our maps.
Q.
How do I know if a map is protected by Crown Copyright?
A.
Maps that we publish will have a footnote and the words Crown Copyright and/or the © symbol normally
printed beside the map and will still be the subject of Crown Copyright. However, if these are not shown
the map may still be ours or mapping based on ours. If you are in doubt about the copyright ownership,
our copyright staff will be glad to assist.
Q.
What mapping is out of copyright?
A.
Paper maps that were first published over 50 years ago are no longer under copyright and can be freely
copied, however, an 'acknowledgement to reproduce' must still be shown.
Q.
Are all reproductions of OSNI material covered by copyright law?
A.
Yes, a single copy made without our permission is deemed a copyright infringement. Specific exceptions
apply to copies made for private study/research.
Q.
What are the penalties for copyright infringement?
A.
By law they can be severe, for example, payment of profits, damages and legal fees.
Q.
How do I know if the Company I work for has a licence or permit?
A.
If in doubt please contact us.
Q. What if I
reproduce more than one map in a publication?
A.
You will pay royalties on the total area of mapping contained within that publication. For example,
if a publication contains 3 maps of 100 sq cms. In size the total area of mapping in that publication
is 3x100=300 sq cms.
Q.
As a printer/copyshop owner, if I reproduce OSNI copyrighted maps for a customer who is liable under
copyright law?
A. Quite simply you
are both infringing our copyright if you reproduce our maps without prior permission from us.
Q.
What do I do if I design websites for clients who want to use extracts of OSNI maps or mapping based
on OSNI material?
A. You may create
the mapping as a contractor to your client under a sub-licence (Digital 5) but it is the client who
must hold a current licence and you should verify this.
Q.
I am at college/university, does OSNI allow copying of maps for the purposes of my studies?
A.
OSNI complies with the 'Fair Dealing' arrangements contained with the Copyright, Designs and Patents
Act 1988. This allows up to four A4 size copies of a map or part of a map.
Vacancies
and Work Experience.
Q.
Can you advise me of any vacancies which might exist in OSNI?
A.
The Northern Ireland Civil Service Commission are responsible for the process of external recruitment
on behalf of OSNI. Details of vacancies are available on the Recruitment Service website at www.nics.gov.uk/recruitment
or by writing to:
Northern
Ireland Civil Service Commission
Orchard House
40
Foyle Street
Derry
BT48
6AT
External recruitment competitions
are also posted to the main provincial papers and may, depending on the nature of the post, extend to
national papers and other periodicals linked to our business.
Q.
How would I find out about work experience opportunities in OSNI?
A.
Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland (OSNI) offers the opportunity for students, requesting work experience,
to gain an insight into the world of work. A 5-day programme provides an overview of all aspects of
our business, ranging from field surveying to the sales department. Work experience is restricted to
5 opportunities per year and a review of our existing policy is currently on-going.
For
further information please contact Roslyn Fisher, HR Unit on 028 9025 5719.
Written
applications should be sent to:
Roslyn
Fisher
Ordnance Survey
Colby
House
Stranmillis Court
Malone
Lower
Belfast
BT9
5BJ
