This conference examines the future for location-based data in the UK – looking at priorities for the UK’s Geospatial Strategy and for developing the geographic data market.

Areas for discussion include:

the UK’s Geospatial Strategy ­- implementation, impact, ethics, regulation and the National Underground Asset Register (NUAR) pilot projects
data – priorities for developing the framework, accessibility and interoperability
skills – including geospatial apprenticeships
commercialisation – supporting the development of location-based data services across the UK, and potential contribution to the economy

The discussion is bringing together stakeholders with key policy officials who are due to attend from the Geospatial Commission; BEIS; the Cabinet Office; DCMS; DfT; HMRC; the HSE; Home Office and the NAO.

The agenda:

Developing the UK’s geospatial sector and realising opportunities
Developing a coherent national location data framework
Case study – lessons learnt from the National Underground Asset Register pilot projects
Taking forward the UK Geospatial Strategy – improving access to better location data, and priorities for harnessing and safeguarding the data going forward
Supporting the development of the skills, geospatial apprenticeships and capabilities to enable future growth
Research and developing the market for geospatial data – future applications, commercial opportunities and supporting development and uptake

Key areas for discussion:

Unlocking the power of location – The UK’s geospatial strategy:
key recommendations – assessing measures put forward for supporting growth, competition and innovation
delivery – how to address key challenges for developing and implementing a coherent national location data framework, and meeting its core objectives of:
promoting and safeguarding the use of location data
improving access to better location data
enhancing capabilities, skills and awareness
enabling innovation
ethics – what should be included in guidelines for the responsible use of location data and technology, options for enforcement, and progress on developing a strategy in this area
impact – looking at guidance being developed for measuring the economic, social and environmental value of location data
regulation – development of a set of harmonised data licences for the use of public sector location data, which is due by 2021
lessons from NUAR pilot projects – building trust, engaging early and defining clear use cases, and implications for the next phase of the programme and national rollout
next steps for development – supporting the development of location-based data services across the UK:
use cases – examining how to maximise the potential for location data in areas such as:
supporting the future of mobility and next generation transport networks
delivering environmental outcomes and the delivery of a national land use framework
enabling future technologies as identified in the Geospatial Commission’s Future Technologies Review, including in:
cameras, imaging and sensing, immersive technologies and simulation
unmanned vehicle systems and drones, and survey, measurement and scanning
artificial intelligence, smart sensors and internet of things
key programmes – priorities for the Geospatial Commission work with Scottish Enterprise and the Scottish Government to develop a new Scottish Geospatial Network Integrator
commercialisation – what more might be required from policymakers, researchers, and businesses to support work into developing geospatial data and incentivise private sector investment
data – what more needs to be done to open up data for development:
key programmes – how to maximise the impact of:
the Public Sector Geospatial Agreement (PSGA) which provides location expertise to developers and the public sector across Britain
improved access to the Ordnance Survey MasterMap
the work of the Geo6 and the Data Discoverability programme
tackling barriers – what is needed to ensure that location data is available, accessible, interoperable, reusable and of high quality
skills – with the strategy committing to produce a skills demand study to pinpoint specific sectors and roles that need geospatial skills now and in the future, including:
geospatial apprenticeships – assessing progress and next steps for their development in the public and private sectors
collaboration – the way forward for fostering effective joint working between the public sector, academia, and industry, drawing together geospatial, data science, digital and sector expertise
research – assessing the landscape in relation to geospatial development including:
international relationships – the possible impact of the end to the EU exit transition period on collaboration, and priorities for the UK in the global geospatial environment
funding – whether more is needed from public and private sector sources to support continued research efforts, and where the priority areas for investment are

Relevant developments

Unlocking the power of location: The UK’s geospatial strategy – which sets out plans to develop a coherent national location data framework by 2025, focused on four main areas:
promoting and safeguarding the use of location data
improving access to better location data
enhancing capabilities, skills and awareness
enabling innovation
Enhancing the UK’s Geospatial Ecosystem – report by the Geospatial Commission with recommendations focusing on:
improving data access and maintaining public trust in location data technologies
driving business innovation in geospatial technologies in order to meet the aims of the Geospatial Strategy
the Government’s £2m transport location data competition:
supporting the development of transport location data to enable smart mobility solutions for future transport
allocating the winnings across 28 projects under the themes of developing mobility as a service, boosting capacity, active travel, and supply chains
National Underground Asset Register Project Update – latest development and findings from the NUAR pilot projects on a digital map of all underground pipes and cables
backed by the Geo6: The British Geological Survey, the Coal Authority, HM Land Registry, Ordnance Survey, the UK Hydrographic Office and the Valuation Office Agency
New support to grow the Scottish geospatial sector – moves towards establishing the new Scottish Geospatial Network Integrator to enhance the use of location-based data across Scotland
The Public Sector Geospatial Agreement (PSGA), which:
replaced the Public Sector Mapping Agreement (PSMA) for England and Wales and the One Scotland Mapping Agreement (OSMA) earlier this year
sets out how the Ordnance Survey provides location expertise to developers and the public sector across Britain
Tech UK’s new Geospatial Data Campaign – which will explore the opportunities and potential benefits from greater use of geospatial data across different industries and sectors
Improved access to MasterMap data and core location identifiers – announced by the Geospatial Commission alongside the release under an Open Government Licence of core location identifiers
How the UK government is transforming the way it shares geospatial data – updates from the Geo6 on project Data Discoverability, aimed at supporting the unlocking the potential of geospatial data