# OS Open Built Up Areas Documentation

A dataset representing Built Up Areas of Great Britain designed to underpin statistical analysis and contribute to policy enablement across the public sector. OS Open Built Up Areas is released and maintained as an OS OpenData product with Open Government Licensing (OGL), which means that anyone can use this data for a wide range of purposes.

{% hint style="info" %}
**This product is updated every two years.**
{% endhint %}

<figure><img src="https://1897589978-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FcNpJpLP8RROUaWVQo5ea%2Fuploads%2FlUM6YenzFmFEG9FelAnJ%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=ad665fb8-7fc1-4350-83b1-eadf3286ce2f" alt="A representation of OS Open Built Up Area data shown area information against a background map"><figcaption><p>A representation of OS Open Built Up Area data</p></figcaption></figure>

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Benefits" %}
**Statistical analysis underpinning delivery of government policy**

Built Up Areas are used to analyse census data to understand their characteristics and output a range of statistics, informing government policy.

**GSS codes deliver value across government departments**

GSS codes enable you to link statistics across government departments to Built Up Areas, improving consistency and accuracy for decision making and planning.

**Monitoring change over time**

Monitor your data related to Built Up Areas over time to improve your understanding of economic, social and environmental factors. You can also track changes or policy delivery to improve your planning and services.

**Unique and interoperable**

Built Up Areas contains three unique datasets, each linked using the GSS code and name, offering maximum flexibility to meet your needs.

**Informative**

Built Up Areas allow policy makers and analysts, both nationally and locally, to conduct analysis corresponding to actual urban extents such as those of towns, cities and villages. They allow economic, social and environmental issues to be understood on the basis of the actual settlements that most people in Great Britain live in and in doing so aide in the design and implementation of policy areas such as levelling-up and net-zero.

**Accessible**

The product is available from the OS Data Hub, meaning that it's available to anyone interested in Built Up Areas, maximising accessibility and delivering huge value. The data will be maintained and updated every two years and you can link your data using the GSS codes which are recognised and widely used across government.
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Use Cases" %}
**Improved decision making from better insights**

OS Open Built Up Areas enables policymakers and analysts, both nationally and locally, to conduct analysis corresponding to actual urban extents, for example, at a town, city, and village level.

The product can also be used to:

* Monitor changes related to built-up areas over time.
* Support demographic population density statistics.
* Provide insights into non-built-up areas that can be used to inform and calculate statistics, such as the impact of natural capital on house prices.
  {% endtab %}

{% tab title="Summary" %}

* **Access:** Download via the [OS Data Hub](https://osdatahub.os.uk/)
* **Data themes:** Address, Land Use
* **Data structure:** Vector – Polygons
* **Coverage:** Great Britain
* **Scale:** 1:1 250 to 1:250 000
* **Format:** CSV, GeoPackage
* **Ordering area:** All of Great Britain
* **Publication month:** April
  {% endtab %}
  {% endtabs %}

## How to get this product

Access to this OS OpenData product is free [through the OS Data Hub](https://osdatahub.os.uk/data/downloads/open/BuiltUpAreas).

## Sample data

### Visualise OS Open Built Up Areas sample data online

This product is available to try out free online using one of our three sets of sample data (Exeter, Newport and Inverness) through the OS MasterMap Product Viewer:

<table data-view="cards" data-full-width="false"><thead><tr><th></th><th></th><th data-hidden></th><th data-hidden data-card-cover data-type="image">Cover image</th><th data-hidden data-card-target data-type="content-ref"></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>OS MasterMap Product Viewer</strong></td><td>Interactive demonstrator of OS MasterMap Generation data</td><td></td><td data-object-fit="cover" data-alt="Example image showing OS VectorMap Local product data over an urban area."><a href="https://1897589978-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FcNpJpLP8RROUaWVQo5ea%2Fuploads%2Fuld7V42IKrB8ovpC1JXB%2FVectorMap-Local-1.png?alt=media&#x26;token=cb3e8ae9-d669-4bc9-b7a7-5f479d780447">VectorMap-Local-1.png</a></td><td><a href="https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/20981dabcb14402687dccb437a4a78fb/">https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/20981dabcb14402687dccb437a4a78fb/</a></td></tr></tbody></table>

## What's next?

To access additional documentation and resources relating to this product, please refer to the following:

<table data-view="cards"><thead><tr><th></th><th></th><th data-hidden data-card-cover data-type="image">Cover image</th><th data-hidden data-card-target data-type="content-ref"></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Overview</strong></p><p>The overview introduces OS Open Built Up Areas, giving context for all users – highlighting key features, providing examples of uses, and listing details such as file sizes, supply formats, etc.</p></td><td></td><td data-object-fit="cover" data-alt="Example image showing OS Open Built Up Areas product data over a background map."><a href="https://1897589978-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FcNpJpLP8RROUaWVQo5ea%2Fuploads%2FI7Rg3D9UyCQbwARAkE4Q%2FBuiltUpExtents%20and%20NonBuiltUpExtents2.png?alt=media&#x26;token=a15ce512-102b-4679-bf63-ad4881f740d3">BuiltUpExtents and NonBuiltUpExtents2.png</a></td><td><a href="os-open-built-up-areas/os-open-built-up-areas-overview">os-open-built-up-areas-overview</a></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Technical Specification</strong></p><p>The technical specification provides detailed technical information about OS Open Built Up Areas. It is targeted at technical users and software developers.</p></td><td></td><td data-object-fit="cover" data-alt="Example image showing OS Open Built Up Areas product data over a background map."><a href="https://1897589978-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FcNpJpLP8RROUaWVQo5ea%2Fuploads%2FNyk7UyGRq62AD07tFO8c%2FBuiltUpExtents_smallScale.png?alt=media&#x26;token=d045ce65-0eff-459a-892d-d61ee5041ba9">BuiltUpExtents_smallScale.png</a></td><td><a href="os-open-built-up-areas/os-open-built-up-areas-technical-specification">os-open-built-up-areas-technical-specification</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Ordnance Survey Website</strong></td><td>View OS Open Built Up Areas product information and find out how to get this product on the OS website.</td><td data-object-fit="cover" data-alt="Example image showing OS Open Built Up Areas product data over a background map."><a href="https://1897589978-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FcNpJpLP8RROUaWVQo5ea%2Fuploads%2F7UUNHEv4Rtiv0YwcXrb2%2FBuiltUpExtents.png?alt=media&#x26;token=a4e97994-3701-49d4-b779-b93ecbc2445f">BuiltUpExtents.png</a></td><td><a href="https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/products/os-open-built-up-areas">https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/products/os-open-built-up-areas</a></td></tr></tbody></table>

{% hint style="info" %}
New users should start with the Overview to gain high-level insight into the product. The Technical Specification contains detailed technical insights.
{% endhint %}