AddressBase Core is a simple, accessible addressing data product giving Plug and Play access to Great Britain addressing data and additional attribution, without being time-consuming or complex. It provides live addressing records for England, Wales and Scotland based on Local Authority holdings of the Local Land and Property Gazetteer (LLPG). Other attribution includes secondary level classifications (detailing the use and type of an address) and a representative point code describing the positional quality of coordinates.

This technical specification includes the following sections:

• Data formats

• Supply and update

• Attributes

• Code lists and enumerations

• Example records

The primary supply mechanism of AddressBase Core is a Managed Great Britain Set (MGBS). A MGBS supply is a supply of data for the whole of Great Britain; it is provided as a single file containing all records with headers already included (CSV) or the structure already defined (GPKG).

Public Sector Geospatial Agreement (PSGA) customers are also able to order individual or multiple 5km tiles of interest rather than a MGBS if they wish. This can be ordered as a Full Supply (GKPG and CSV formats) or Changed Tiles (CSV format only).

OS Partners are also able to access tile supplies.

Managed Great Britain Set (Unzipped)

If you receive your data as a MGBS; the filename will be constructed as (unzipped):

productName_supply_ccyy-mm-dd_vvv.format

Where:

• productName: AddressBaseCore supply is defined as FULL or COU

• ccyy-mm-dd: The date the file was generated

• vvv: The volume number of the file

• format: The format of the files received, for example, csv or gkpg For example:

  • AddressBaseCore_FULL_2020-07-01_001.gkpg (GKPG full supply)

  • AddressBaseCore_COU_2020-07-01_001.csv (CSV COU supply)

Managed Great Britain Set (zipped)

If the data has been provided in a ZIP file the following convention will be followed:

productName_supply_ccyy-mm-dd_vv.format.zip

For example:

• AddressBaseCore_FULL_2020-07-01_001.csv.zip (CSV full supply zipped)

5km tile supplies (Unzipped CSV)

If you order a CSV format for one tile or a selection tiles, the filename of each tile will be:

ngxxyy.format

Where:

• ngxxyy: The four-digit grid reference belonging to the 1 km south-west corner of the 5 km chunk.

• format: The format of the files received, i.e. csv.

For example:

• NC4040.csv (CSV Tile supply)

5km Tile Supplies (zipped CSV)

If the data has been provided in a ZIP file the following convention will be followed for each tile:

ngxxyy.zip

For example:

• NC4040.zip (Tile supply zipped)

5km Tile Supplies (Unzipped GPKG)

If you order a GPKG format for one tile or a selection tiles, the filename will be constructed as:

OrderID.format

Where:

• OrderID: The ID that is assigned to each order

• format: The format of the files received, that is, gkpg

For example:

• 1002-1700-RAND-1000.gpkg (CSV Tile Supply)

Geographic chunks (zipped GPKG)

If the data has been provided in a ZIP file the following convention will be followed:

OrderID.format.zip

For example:

• 1002-1700-RAND-1000.gpkg.zip (Tile supply zipped)

COU supply

AddressBase Core is available as a Full Supply or Change Only Update (COU) for MGBS supplies. A COU supply of data contains records or files that have changed between product refresh cycles. The primary benefit in supplying data in this way is that volumes are smaller reducing the amount of data that requires processing when compared to a Full Supply.

COU data enables you to identify three types of change if they are using the Managed Great Britain Sets of data:

1. Deletes (CHANGE_TYPE ‘D’) are objects that have ceased to exist in your area of interest since the last product refresh.

2. Inserts (CHANGE_TYPE ‘I’) are objects that have been newly inserted into your area of interest since the last product refresh.

3. Updates (CHANGE_TYPE ‘U’) are objects that have been updated in your area of interest since the last product refresh.

Managed Great Britain Set (MGBS) COU

A COU file for MGBS data can be identified by its naming convention as detailed in previous sections.

Any change record will be provided as a full record with the appropriate change type, as listed above.

Tile supply COU

A tile-based COU is supplied differently to the MGBS supplies. If a single address record has changed within a specified 5km tile, the entire 5km tile containing all features will be supplied. This means the user will need to remove all features that previously existed in the provided tile(s) and insert the entire new tile(s) in its place.

Archiving

When users are Deleting, Inserting or Updating features it is up to the user to consider their archiving requirements. If deleted records are important to your business requirements you must take appropriate action to archive previous records.

The AddressBase Core product is distributed as a Comma Separated Value (CSV) file or GeoPackage (GPKG). CSV files can be supplied as a Full Supply or Change Only Update (COU) when taking Managed Great Britain Sets (MGBS); or Full Supply or changed tiles when taking tile supplies. GPKG is only available as Full Supply for both MGBS and tile supplies.

CSV

The CSV format of AddressBase Core means:

1. Column headers are included in the file.

2. There is one record per line in each file.

3. Fields are separated by commas.

4. No comma is placed at the end of each row in the file.

5. Records are terminated by carriage return/line feed.

For MGBS orders, one file containing all records is produced.

GPKG

GPKG is an open, standards-based, platform-independent data format for transferring geospatial information as defined by the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC). It is designed to be a lightweight format that can contain large amounts of varied and complex data in a single, easy-to-distribute and ready-to-use file.

GPKG offers the following benefits:

1. The single file is easy to transfer and offers the end-user a rich experience.

2. Attribute names are not limited in length making it customer friendly.

3. No file size limit, so lots of data can be easily accommodated.

4. Supports raster, vector and database formats making it a highly versatile solution.

5. Conforms to OGC standard.

6. In most cases, it is a Plug and Play format.

For both MGBS and tile supplies, GeoPackage supplies will be provided as one file.

A code list or enumeration is a controlled set of values which can be used to populate a specific column.

AddressBase Core code lists an enumerations:

• RPCCode

• ChangeTypeCode

The following sub-sections provide details about the attributes included in AddressBase Core, their data types in the different output formats, and other important metadata about them.

AddressBase Core attributes

fid

A non-persistent integer which is autogenerated and is required within the OGC GPKG format.

• Attribute Name: Not provided (CSV), fid (GKPG)

• Data Type: Integer

• Multiplicity: [1]

UPRN

Unique Property Reference Number (UPRN) assigned by the LLPG Custodian or Ordnance Survey.

• Attribute Name: UPRN (CSV), uprn (GKPG)

• Data Type: Integer

• Size: 12

• Multiplicity: [1]

Parent UPRN

UPRN of the parent Record if a parent-child relationship exists.

• Attribute Name: PARENT_UPRN (CSV), parent_uprn (GKPG)

• Data Type: Integer

• Size: 12

• Multiplicity: [0..1]

UDPRN

Royal Mail’s Unique Delivery Point Reference Number (UDPRN).

• Attribute Name: UDPRN (CSV), udprn (GKPG)

• Data Type: Integer

• Size: 8

• Multiplicity: [0..1]

USRN

Unique Street Reference Number assigned by the Street Name and Numbering Custodian OR Ordnance Survey depending on the address record.

• Attribute Name: USRN (CSV), usrn (GKPG)

• Data Type: Integer

• Size: 8

• Multiplicity: [1]

TOID

• Attribute Name: TOID (CSV), toid (GKPG)

• Data Type: varchar

• Size: 20

• Multiplicity: [0..1]

Classification code

A code that describes the classification of the address record to a maximum of a secondary level.

• Attribute Name: CLASSIFICATION_CODE (CSV), classification_code (GKPG)

• Data Type: varchar

• Size: 4

• Multiplicity: [1]

Easting

A value in metres defining the x location in accordance with the British National Grid.

• Attribute Name: EASTING (CSV), easting (GKPG)

• Data Type: Float

• Size: (precision, scale) – (8, 2)

• Multiplicity: [1]

Northing

A value in metres defining the y location in accordance with the British National Grid.

• Attribute Name: NORTHING (CSV), northing (GKPG)

• Data Type: Float

• Size: (precision, scale) – (9, 2)

• Multiplicity: [1]

Latitude

A value defining the Latitude location in accordance with the ETRS89 coordinate reference system.

• Attribute Name: LATITUDE (CSV), latitude (GKPG)

• Data Type: Float

• Size: (precision, scale) – (9, 7)

• Multiplicity: [1]

Longitude

A value defining the Longitude location in accordance with the ETRS89 coordinate reference system.

• Attribute Name: LONGITUDE (CSV), longitude (GKPG)

• Data Type: Float

• Size: (precision, scale) – (8, 7)

• Multiplicity: [1]

RPC

Representative Point Code: this describes the accuracy of the coordinate that has been allocated to the UPRN as indicated by the Local Authority and enhanced using large scale OS data.

• Attribute Name: RPC (CSV), rpc (GKPG)

• Data Type: Integer

• Size: 1

• Multiplicity: [1]

Last update date

The latest date on which any of the attributes on this record were last changed in CCYY-MM-DD format.

• Attribute Name: LAST_UPDATE_DATE (CSV), last_update_date (GKPG)

• Data Type: Date

• Multiplicity: [1]

Single-line address

A single attribute containing text concatenation of the address elements separated by a comma.

• Attribute Name: SINGLE_LINE_ADDRESS (CSV), single_line_address (GKPG)

• Data Type: varchar

• Size: 500

• Multiplicity: [1]

Po box

Text concatenation of ‘PO BOX’ and the Post Office Box (PO Box) number or ‘BFPO’ and the British Forces Post Office number.

• Attribute Name: PO_BOX (CSV), po_box (GKPG)

• Data Type: varchar

• Size: 13

• Multiplicity: [0..1]

Organisation

The organisation name is the business name given, when appropriate, to an address record.

• Attribute Name: ORGANISATION (CSV), organisation (GKPG)

• Data Type: varchar

• Size: 100

• Multiplicity: [0..1]

Sub building

The sub-building name and/or number for the address record.

• Attribute Name: SUB_BUILDING (CSV), sub_building (GKPG)

• Data Type: varchar

• Size: 110

• Multiplicity: [0..1]

Building name

The building name is a description applied to a single address or a group of addresses.

• Attribute Name: BUILDING_NAME (CSV), building_name (GKPG)

• Data Type: varchar

• Size: 110

• Multiplicity: [0..1]

Building number

The building number is a number or range of numbers given to a single address or a group of addresses.

• Attribute Name: BUILDING_NUMBER (CSV), building_number (GKPG)

• Data Type: varchar

• Size: 13

• Multiplicity: [0..1]

Street name

Street/Road name for the address record.

• Attribute Name: STREET_NAME (CSV), street_name (GKPG)

• Data Type: varchar

• Size: 100

• Multiplicity: [0..1]

Locality

A locality defines an area or geographical identifier within a town, village or hamlet. Locality represents the lower level geographical area. The locality field should be used in conjunction with the town name and street description fields to uniquely identify geographic area where there may be more than one within an administrative area.

• Attribute Name: LOCALITY (CSV), locality (GKPG)

• Data Type: varchar

• Size: 35

• Multiplicity: [0..1]

Town name

Geographical town name assigned by the Local Authority. Please note this can be different from the Post Town value assigned by Royal Mail.

• Attribute Name: TOWN_NAME (CSV), town_name (GKPG)

• Data Type: varchar

• Size: 35

• Multiplicity: [0..1]

Post town

The town or city in which the Royal Mail sorting office is located which services this address record.

• Attribute Name: POST_TOWN (CSV), post_town (GKPG)

• Condition: POST_TOWN is not populated if this is the same as TOWN_NAME

• Data Type: varchar

• Size: 30

• Multiplicity: [0..1]

Island

Third level of geographic area name to record island names where appropriate.

• Attribute Name: ISLAND (CSV), island (GKPG)

• Data Type: varchar

• Size: 50

• Multiplicity: [0..1]

Postcode

Third level of geographic area name to record island names where appropriate.

• Attribute Name: POSTCODE (CSV), postcode (GKPG)

• Data Type: varchar

• Size: 8

• Multiplicity: [1]

Delivery point suffix

A two-character code uniquely identifying an individual delivery point within a postcode, assigned by Royal Mail.

• Attribute Name: DELIVERY_POINT_SUFFIX (CSV), delivery_point-suffix (GKPG)

• Data Type: varchar

• Size: 2

• Multiplicity: [0..1]

GSS code

The Office for National Statistics Governmental Statistical Service (GSS) code representing the contributing Local Authority.

• Attribute Name: GSS_CODE (CSV), gss_code (GKPG)

• Data Type: varchar

• Size: 9

• Multiplicity: [0..1]

Change code

Type of record change.

• Attribute Name: CHANGE_CODE (CSV), change_code (GKPG)

• Data Type: varchar

• Size: 1

• Multiplicity: [1]

Government Statistical Services codes

The Government Statistical Services (GSS) code is a nine character unique identifier for each local authority maintained by the Office for National Statistics.

Classification codes

A list of codes which describe the type of address contained within AddressBase Core.

CSV supply

Original Supply

COU Supply

Changed fields are annotated (underlined).