The OS National Geographic Database (OS NGD) is a structured database containing authoritative geospatial data for Great Britain. It provides the most current, comprehensive and richly attributed data describing Great Britain ever produced by OS in non-proprietary data formats that are easily integrated into a wide array of customer systems and workflows.

This self-serve site is where you will find documentation to help you get started using OS NGD data via the download service of OS Select+Build and the two OS NGD APIs. Using the left-hand-side navigation menu, you can select and view pages and sections of interest, including:

In-depth information on OS NGD data, including structure, applications and news:

Explore OS NGD

In-depth information on OS NGD data, including structure, applications and news:

Get OS NGD

Try out OS NGD sample data, download it via OS Select+Build or access it through the OS NGD APIs:

The key benefits of the OS National Geographic Database (OS NGD) to customers are as follows:

• Increased data update frequency: With the new OS NGD APIs and OS Select+Build you can access themes of data which are updated up to daily.

• Choose exactly what data you take: For the first time, you can select and build your own data package/s rather than taking pre-selected OS products. For example, if you're only interested in buildings data, then you just select the OS NGD Buildings Theme. There's no need to take a larger product and spend time filtering out the buildings data from it. You can also select data from different OS NGD collections to build your own bespoke data package/s.

No live service disruptions are affecting OS NGD at this time.

No maintenance events are currently scheduled that will impact the availability of OS NGD.

Local custodian code data is available to download in CSV format in the following file:

Local custodian code data is available to download in CSV format in the following file:

What is a CSV file?

A comma-separated values (CSV) file is a common interchange format for spreadsheets and databases which facilitates a simplistic use of data. Each field is either textual or numeric. Within the CSV, each field is separated from the next by a comma. CSV file format is universally supported for easy ingestion into all major database products.

Please be aware that CSV files are designed to be opened in a database or GI system, and opening them in other software applications could corrupt the data. In particular, Excel has a row limit which might be exceeded by some of our CSV files containing OS NGD data, depending on the order you placed and its size. We recommend that you load CSV files containing OS NGD data directly into a database or GI system, rather than trying to open these files in Excel.

Key features of OS NGD CSV format

CSV offers users the following key features:

• Change-Only Update (COU) files are only supplied in CSV format (they are not supplied in GeoPackage format)

• Geometry provided as Well-Known Text (WKT)

• Header rows included in the file

• There will be one record per line in each file

• Fields will be separated by commas

• Where string fields contain commas, they will be delimited by double quotes

• Double quotes inside strings will be escaped by doubling

• Records will be terminated by Carriage Returns and Line Feeds

• CSV files will be Unicode encoded in UTF-8

What are OS recommended recipes?

When you order data using OS Select+Build, you create a recipe to define the data you need. Selecting the right data from OS NGD themes can be complex, so we are developing a set of recommended recipe guides to help you get started with common use cases, focussing on areas where many customers have similar requirements.

These guides are intended as a starting point and you can adapt the suggested recipes at the recipe creation or editing stage so that they fully meet your needs.

Guides for creating OS recommended recipes

Coming next

We expect to add further OS recommended recipe guides over time.

Upcoming guides include:

• Supporting new build developments

Change-Only Updates (COUs) are only available for CSV data supplies of the OS NGD. The benefit of taking COU supplies is that you only receive the features which have changed since your last supply, reducing the overall size of the files you receive.

There are some restrictions on when you can choose to take COUs; these restrictions are dependent on the selections you make when ordering OS NGD data. Please see the 'Data ordering and currency' page for more information.

If you choose to receive a COU supply for your CSV data, this can be provided on either a daily or monthly frequency. In both cases, your COU file will contain any changes which have been made to the underlying data within the selected time frequency. If no changes have been made to a selected feature type of your choice, then you will receive a blank COU file.

The key attribution required to use and implement a COU is detailed below:

• Unique Identifier: The unique identifier for the feature type you are using is how you will ensure you are updating the correct records in your data holdings. In most instances the unique identifier will be the OSID, but this is not always true, therefore please check the appropriate feature type pages in our documentation.

• Version Date: This is the date when the feature was last updated in OS product databases.

• Version Available From Date: This is the date when the feature became the latest version and was published to customers.

• Version Available To Date: This is the date when the feature was superseded by an update or ceased to exist.

• Change Type: This is a code list which gives more information about the type of change which has occurred.

OS NGD data is different from our other products because you access it from a single source where you'll find the data you need without having to download unnecessary datasets. It also has a simple data structure, designed to help you quickly answer questions and develop more intelligent solutions.

OS NGD terminology: themes, collections and feature types

Theme

A theme is a macro grouping of features which all represent similar geographic entities. Themes are the highest level of grouping within the OS NGD, and examples include ‘Buildings’ and ‘Transport’.

Themes allow for quick discovery and navigation when using OS Select+Build (the OS NGD download service) or the OS NGD APIs. They also give you the ability to quickly access all OS data relating to your particular theme of interest.

The nine OS NGD themes are: Address, Administrative and Statistical Units, Buildings, Geographical Names, Land, Land Use, Structures, Transport, and Water.

Collection

A collection is a sub-grouping of the OS NGD themes. Collections group together similar types of data within a theme. Examples include ensuring network and routing data is separated from topographic features. For example, in the OS NGD Water Theme, there are two collections: OS Water Features (topographic data) and OS Water Network (network data).

This makes it easier for you to access only the data you require.

A feature type is the most granular level of grouping within the OS NGD. Feature types have their own data model and specifications which are not commonly shared with other feature types.

When you order data through OS Select+Build (the OS NGD download service), the data you receive will be provided at a feature type level.

The OS NGD is available to OS Partners and to public sector organisations who are members of the Public Sector Geospatial Agreement (PSGA). OS Select+Build and the OS NGD APIs can be accessed via the on either the .

Alternatively, you can try out OS NGD collection data for free for three to six months by applying for . This licence is available for all collections apart from the OS Islands Address and OS Functional Areas Collections.

The licence is primarily designed for organisations either considering becoming an OS Partner or who want to trial OS Premium data before working with an existing OS Partner.

The OS NGD is available via the on either the . There are three access methods to choose from once you are on the OS Data Hub:

• OS Select+Build: A download service which enables you to choose only the data you require and select how you want to receive your data.

• OS NGD API – Features: An OGC API – Features service.

• OS NGD API – Tiles: A vector tiles service based on OGC API – Tiles.

GDAL is a translator library for raster and vector geospatial data formats that is released under an X/MIT style Open Source License by the Open Source Geospatial Foundation. It comes with a variety of useful command line utilities for data translation and processing. The following section covers the loading of GeoPackage datasets into a PostgreSQL database using the ETL tool GDAL. The process will be similar for other databases such as Oracle and SQL Server, as well as converting to other data formats.

Requirements

• A PostgreSQL database with PostGIS extension enabled

• GDAL version 1.11.0 or above (with access to a command line interface to use it)

• A GeoPackage dataset

Different loading options (including renaming tables, reprojecting the data, etc.) can be found on the page.

Unique identifiers in the OS NGD

OSID

The OS NGD primarily uses an identifier called the OSID (OS Identifier). OSIDs uniquely identify records within a feature type and have a maintained lifecycle, enabling them to support change tracking and linkages across datasets.

It should be noted that while an OSID is unique within a feature type, it may be shared across feature types when they represent the same real-world feature. For example, a point feature in the OS NGD Geographical Names Theme representing a water body will share the same OSID as the water body feature in the OS NGD Water Theme.

🔃 UPRN, USRN, UDPRN, UMRRN and postcode

Other unique identifiers are also present in the OS NGD, including:

• UPRN (Unique Property Reference Number) for local authority Address records.

• USRN (Unique Street Reference Number) for local authority Street records.

• UDPRN (Unique Delivery Point Reference Number) for Royal Mail delivery points (for example, a mailbox or business unit).

• 🆕 UMRRN (Unique Multiple Residence Reference Number) for multiple Royal Mail addresses that share a single delivery point.

• Postcode is the identifier assigned by Royal Mail for the purposes of mail delivery. It's the primary unique identifier for (Great Britain) and (Northern Ireland) Feature Types. Postcode is an important identifier for the Feature Type, but as the features represent postcode parts (not whole postcodes), their primary unique identifier is Feature ID.

These unique identifiers remain the authoritative identifiers for their respective domains.

For a small number of feature types in OS NGD where it is not possible or necessary to have identifiers that persist over time, the Feature ID is used as the primary unique identifier. The , , and Feature Types use this unique identifier. The notional extents of the retail area features and Postcode Unit Area features are regenerated periodically (for example, monthly for the latter), at which point all features will get a new Feature ID.

The Topographic Identifier (TOID) is also present in the OS NGD, primarily to support customer migration from OS MasterMap products to the OS NGD. This is an optional attribute and should not be relied upon to complete data linking or for implementing Change-Only Updates (COUs). The reason for this identifier being optional is the improved currency on which the OS NGD is published, meaning the TOID, which is created in our existing OS product systems, will not always be allocated to features as frequently as they will be accessible via the OS NGD.

Requirements

• ArcGIS Pro (version 1.1 or later)

• A GeoPackage dataset

Instructions

These instructions were created using ArcGIS Pro version 2.5, but versions from 1.1 onwards will support GeoPackage.

Requirements

• MapInfo Professional (version 15.2 or later)

• A GeoPackage dataset

Instructions

These instructions were completed using MapInfo Professional version 2019; however, any version from 15.2 onwards can be used.

Introduction

The following pages provide an overview of the OS National Geographic Database (OS NGD); they cover the core elements of its design, including data formats, the coordinate reference systems used, and how Change-Only Updates (COUs) will be provided, amongst other topics:

• Terminology and access

• File formats and naming

• Data ordering and currency

Detailed documentation on OS NGD design and practical guides on how to apply OS NGD data:

In-depth information on OS NGD data, including structure, applications and news:

Try out OS NGD sample data, download it via OS Select+Build or access it through the OS NGD APIs:

Through the OS NGD, Ordnance Survey aims to iterate and release data enhancements quicker than ever before. We want to be able to do this without disrupting customers who have adopted data schemas and are heavily reliant on a specification remaining the same for a longer period of time. With this in mind, the OS NGD is able to run multiple data schema versions for a single feature type at any given time.

When we release a new data schema version in the OS NGD, the changes will be visible on the feature type pages of this documentation platform. As you can see from the image below, each attribute on a feature type page states which data schema version it is present within, with the Version Date attribute in the example below being present in both data schema versions 1.0 and 2.0:

How has data schema versioning been implemented?

As new enhancements are made to a given feature type in the OS NGD which require the schema to be uplifted (for example, new attributes being added, resulting in a major schema version increment from 1.0 to 2.0), the new data schema version will become available via the OS NGD access services (i.e. OS Select+Build and the OS NGD APIs).

There are two types of version increments that can be applied:

• Minor: A non-breaking change that does not usually impact a customer’s implementation of the data, for example, the addition of an attribute value to a code list.

• Major: A significant breaking change that usually impacts a customer’s implementation of the data, for example, the addition or removal of an attribute.

When a data schema undergoes a minor version increment, the previous version will no longer be available. This is because the change is deemed to be so small that there is little to no work involved in customers migrating to the latest version of the data.

When a data schema undergoes a major version increment, the previous version will become known as being in 'maintenance' and the new data schema version will be known as the ‘latest’. This reflects an understanding of the work required for customers to move to a new version and allows time for this to happen.

When using the OS NGD access services, you will be able to choose which data schema version you want to use for feature types when ordering or interacting with the data where more than one major version exists. You can choose from data schema versions which are in the 'latest' or 'maintenance' states.

Older data schema versions (i.e. those in a maintenance state) will remain in the OS NGD for a period of time; it's important to note that these maintenance versions will continue to receive updates. Before any data schema version is retired for a given feature type (i.e. when it no longer receives updates and will be removed from the ordering and selection process), customer communications will be distributed, and a notice period will be issued to allow sufficient time for customers to upgrade to a newer version of a data schema.

Code lists within the OS NGD have only one type of version increment applied: major.

A code list will undergo a major version change when a new code list value is added to it. Values will never be removed from a code list because this would impact within the OS NGD.

When a code list undergoes a major version increment, all feature types that implement the code list will undergo a minor version increment, reflecting the data change that will occur.

In the worked example below, we demonstrate how a feature type has new major data schema versions released (v2.0 and then v3.0), while maintaining older data schema versions (v1.0 and then v2.0), before the original data schema version (v1.0) moves into end of life and is retired.

• In this example, the feature type starts with a single data schema version (v1.0), known as the latest data schema version.

• At a point in the future, data enhancements are made which require the data schema version to be uplifted, so a second major data schema version (v2.0) is released. As there can only be one latest data schema version (v2.0), the original data schema version (v1.0) drops down into maintenance – but it still receives updates and is still accessible to customers via the OS NGD access services.

• Further again into the future, additional new enhancements are made to the feature type, requiring a third major data schema version (v3.0) to be released. Again, as before, there can only be one latest data schema version for a feature type (v3.0), so the second data schema version (v2.0) drops down into maintenance. Two major data schema versions (v1.0 and v2.0) are now in maintenance, but again, both are still receiving updates and are accessible to customers via the OS NGD access services.

If you select an Annual Full Supply frequency for your OS NGD data order in OS Select+Build, we will provide you with the data as it was on 01 January of the current year. This means if a new feature type or a new data schema version of an existing feature type was released after 01 January and you order either of these as part of your Annual Full Supply, you will receive an empty data package for the newly released feature type / new data schema version of an existing feature type. The data for the new feature type / new data schema version of an existing feature type will then be included in your supply on the next 01 January after the release.

For example, the March 2026 OS NGD data enhancements release contained six new feature types (Retail Area Aggregated, Retail Area Major, Retail Area Minor, Postcode Unit Point, Postcode Unit Point, and Postcode Unit Area) and one new data schema version for an existing feature type (Compound Structure v3.0). The data for the new feature types and the new data schema version for the existing feature type will not be part of Annual Full Supply orders until 01 January 2027.

For example, the October 2026 OS NGD data enhancements release contained five new data schema versions for existing feature types: Regional Authority v2.0, Royal Mail Address v1.1 and v2.0 (OS GB Address Collection), and Royal Mail Address v1.1 and v2.0 (OS Islands Address Collection). The new data schema versions for the existing feature types will not be part of Annual Full Supply orders until 01 January 2027.

On the feature type pages (which are located in the Data Structure section), the following information can be found about each attribute:

• Name and Definition: The name of the attribute and what it is describing.

• Data Types: The values the attribute can take. For example, a numeric value or a string. This is provided for all three data formats – GeoJSON, GeoPackage, and CSV.

• Nullable: A True or False value to denote whether the attribute always has to be populated with a value (False) or can be NULL (True).

• Code List Name: The name of the code list used in association with the attribute (if applicable) and a hyperlink to the page displaying that code list.

• Max Length: Values are given here to indicate the maximum length that you will find in the attribute, to aid in developing applications.

• Multiplicity: Describes how many times this value is expected to be populated in the data. These values may be used in combination.

  • 1: There must be a value.

  • 2: There must be two values.

  • n: There may be one or more values.
• OS NGD API – Features Filterable: A Yes / No value to denote whether you can refine your query in OS NGD API – Features specifically on this attribute.

• OS Select+Build Filterable: A Yes / No value to denote whether you can refine your order in OS Select+Build on this attribute.

• Data Schema Version: The OS NGD schema version the data above applies to. Please note that concurrent schema versions may be available at one time. For more information on how data schema versioning works in the OS NGD, please refer to the .

Requirements

• ArcMap (version 10.2.2 or later)

• A GeoPackage dataset

Instructions

These instructions were created using ArcMap version 10.7, but versions from 10.2.2 onwards will also support GeoPackage features.

OS Select+Build and OS NGD API – Features

You can choose from a range of contextual or analytical styles to visualise OS NGD data.

Four cartographic styles – Outdoor, Road, Light, and Black & White – are available to give the data a cartographic appearance:

Analytical styles can be used to colour OS NGD data by theme and collection to support data visualisation:

OS NGD API – Tiles

If you are using OS NGD API – Tiles, all the styling resources, including JSON files and sprites, are hosted within the vector tiles endpoint.

You can now create your own custom style for OS NGD API – Tiles; please see the Creating a custom style for OS NGD API – Tiles page on the OS APIs Documentation site for a guide on how to do this.

FME is a data integration platform which can read the GeoPackage format and be used to convert and transform the data into other formats or databases. The below example shows how to read a GeoPackage into an FME workbench.

Requirements

• FME Desktop

• An FME license

• A GeoPackage dataset

Instructions

• QGIS (version 2.10.1 or later)

• A GeoPackage dataset

These instructions were created using QGIS version 3.22. Other versions of QGIS can be used, from version 2.10.1 onwards.

In-depth information on OS NGD data, including structure, applications and news:

Try out OS NGD sample data, download it via OS Select+Build or access it through the OS NGD APIs:

• CadCorp SIS (version SIS 9 or later)

• A GeoPackage dataset

These instructions were created using CadCorp SIS 9 Desktop Express; however all versions of CadCorp SIS 9 or later support GeoPackage.

Introducing temporal filtering

Temporal filtering allows you to order a one-off snapshot of data from the OS NGD from a current or past date.

Temporal filtering is an optional step when you create a new data package against one of your existing recipes. For further information and step-by-step instructions on creating recipes and data packages, please see the Getting started with recipes and Getting started with data packages pages.

How do I add a temporal filter to a new data package?

To create a new OS NGD data package and apply a temporal filter to it:

OS NGD APIs provide programmatic access to OS NGD data, enabling rich geospatial data to be integrated into a wide array of applications and use cases. Accessing OS NGD data via our APIs allows you to discover what data is available before using it, access the benefits of OS NGD within your applications and build new solutions with rich, consistent and current information about the real world.

Documentation for the OS NGD APIs is available on the OS APIs Documentation site alongside documentation for our other OS APIs. The pages below provide an overview of both APIs and details of how to get started with a new project.

These pages should be used in conjunction with the more detailed pages within the Data Structure section which are specifically focussed on the different OS NGD themes, collections and feature types.

Access to the OS NGD APIs is available via the OS Data Hub.

Discover OS NGD

Detailed documentation on OS NGD design and practical guides on how to apply OS NGD data:

In-depth information on OS NGD data, including structure, applications and news:

You can share a recipe you've created with another organisation (as long as they have access to OS Select+Build on the OS Data Hub). This functionality enables collaboration between organisations.

The following sub-sections on this page cover:

How do I share a recipe?

To share a recipe:

To accept a shared recipe:

To reject a recipe shared with you:

OS NGD Data Viewer

An OS NGD Data Viewer is available that lets you visualise product sample data online for three areas (Exeter, Newport and Inverness).

Sample data for most OS NGD feature types are available. The sample data always use the latest data schema version available for each feature type.

Downloadable sample data

Sample data are available to download from the OS Data Hub for the following OS NGD collections:

• Sample data always use the latest data schema version available for each collection.

• Sample data for the collections are available in GeoPackage and CSV (comma-separated values) formats.

• One zip file of sample data is provided per collection. Within each of these zip files, the individual feature types for each collection are separated into their own folder.

• Sample data are not available for the OS Boundaries, OS Islands Address or OS NI Postcodes Collections.

In-depth information on OS NGD data, including structure, applications and news:

What is GeoPackage?

GeoPackage (.gpkg) is an open, non-proprietary, platform-independent, and standard data format for geographic information systems (GIS), 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. GeoPackage is natively supported by numerous software applications.

Key features and benefits of GeoPackage

GeoPackage offers users the following key features and benefits:

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

• Attribute names are not limited in length, making the format user-friendly.

• The file size limit is very large at 140TB, so lots of data can be easily accommodated (please note that a file size limit may be imposed by the file system to which the file is written).

• It supports raster, vector and database formats, making it a highly versatile solution.

• It is an OGC standard.

• In most cases, it is a plug and play format.

• Data will be supplied in British National Grid (EPSG:27700), World Geodetic System (WGS84: EPSG: 4326), or British National Grid + ODN Height (EPSG: 7405), depending on your selection when ordering OS NGD data.

The following sub-sections provide step-by-step instructions on how to access GeoPackage data via various GIS software packages, all current versions of these support GeoPackages natively.

It is possible to use Extract, Transform, Load (ETL) tools to convert the data into different formats and to load into databases.

The OS GB Address Collection is a complete, analytical and authoritative addressing dataset for Great Britain. It is designed to provide a detailed view of an address and its lifecycle.

Collection applications

The OS GB Address Collection allows you to:

• Keep your address data current with up-to-daily updates.

• Utilise the richness of Local Authority data and analyse addresses by their classification, postal status and build status to create a detailed picture of a given area.

• Access all addresses in Royal Mail’s Postcode Address File (PAF), Not Yet Built (NYB) and Multiple Residence (MR) datasets, with the ability to use PAF’s Unique Delivery Point Reference Number (UDPRN) and Unique Multiple Residence Reference Number (UMRRN) alongside the authoritative Unique Property Reference Number (UPRN).

• Easily create mail shots using the Full Address attribute on the Royal Mail Address Feature Type.

• Carry out spatial analysis and aggregation using the accurate rooftop coordinates provided for each address.

• Easily identify and download addresses by pre-build, built and historic lifecycle stages.

• Use the UPRN to easily link different data sets right down to a single address.

• A full representation of an address as you can view both the Royal Mail and Local Authority representations of it.

• Up-to-daily updates to data.

• The simplified data model means there’s no need to be an addressing expert to use the data.

• Plug and play – the data is simple and quick to implement as you don't need to pre-process it before you use it.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs) about this collection and detailed answers are available from the .

Great Britain.

British National Grid (EPSG: 27700).

The earliest date on which you can request a one-off snapshot of a date in the past for data in this collection is noted at the top of the individual feature type pages.

GeoPackage or CSV (comma-separated values).

GB Address data can be accessed through the via OS Select+Build, the bespoke OS NGD download service. It can't be accessed through OS NGD API – Features or OS NGD API – Tiles.

• Included in the (PSGA) – therefore, it's free at point of use for Public Sector organisations.

• Available to OS Partners for commercial resell in your solutions.

• Available for organisations to try out for free for three months under the ; this licence is primarily designed for organisations either considering becoming an OS Partner or who want to trial OS Premium data before working with an existing OS Partner.

The OS Islands Address Collection is a complete, analytical and authoritative addressing dataset for Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. It is designed to provide a detailed view of an address and its lifecycle.

Collection applications

The OS Islands Address Collection allows you to:

• Keep your address data current with up-to-daily updates.

• Utilise the richness of additional attribution about each address and analyse addresses by their classification, postal status and build status to create a detailed picture of a given area.

• Access all addresses in Royal Mail’s Postcode Address File (PAF), Not Yet Built (NYB) and Multiple Residence (MR) datasets, with the ability to use PAF’s Unique Delivery Point Reference Number (UDPRN) and Unique Multiple Residence Reference Number (UMRRN) alongside the authoritative Unique Property Reference Number (UPRN).

• Easily create mail shots using the Full Address attribute on the Royal Mail Address Feature Type.

• Carry out spatial analysis and aggregation using the accurate rooftop coordinates provided for each address.

• Easily identify and download addresses by pre-build, built and historic lifecycle stages.

• Use the UPRN to easily link different data sets right down to a single address.

• A full representation of an address as you can view both the Royal Mail and Local Authority representations of it.

• Up-to-daily updates to data.

• The simplified data model means there’s no need to be an addressing expert to use the data.

• Plug and play – the data is simple and quick to implement as you don't need to pre-process it before you use it.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs) about this collection and detailed answers are available from the .

Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man.

European Terrestrial Reference System 89 (EPSG: ETRS89).

The earliest date on which you can request a one-off snapshot of a date in the past for data in this collection is noted at the top of the individual feature type pages.

GeoPackage or CSV (comma-separated values).

Islands Address data can be accessed through the via OS Select+Build, the bespoke OS NGD download service. It can't be accessed through OS NGD API – Features or OS NGD API – Tiles.

• Included in the (PSGA) – therefore, it's free at point of use for Public Sector organisations.

• Available to OS Partners for commercial resell in your solutions.

It is recommended that you have a basic understanding of database terminology before following the guides in the tabs below. The guides contain generic instructions, and it is recognised that there are multiple ways to load CSV files into databases which may be more suitable to your environment and existing processes.

Prior to loading the data into a database, it is necessary to create the relevant tables in the database. We have supplied the DDL statements that can be accessed in our .

OS NGD data is different from our other products because you access it from a single source where you'll find the data you need without having to download unnecessary datasets. It also has a simple data structure, designed to help you quickly answer questions and develop more intelligent solutions.

OS NGD data has been categorised to make it easier and quicker for you to discover the data you need:

• Themes: Geographic data of Great Britain is structured into nine themes of related items.

• Collections: Each theme is made up of one or more collections, which in turn have feature types.

The Delivery Point Alias Component provides alias data related to a delivery point address. It sources data from Royal Mail's Delivery Point Alias (DPA) table. DPA information provides additional Delivery Point Information, including Trading Names and Building Name details where a Building Number is the official building identifier.

For more information about the DPA table, please consult chapter six 'Alias' of the .

The earliest date on which you can request a one-off snapshot of a date in the past for data in this feature type is 08 October 2026.

Any data temporally filtered earlier than the specified earliest date noted above for the data schema version may contain data inconsistencies.

More information about temporal filtering is available from the .

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

Ordnance Survey derived primary key providing a unique row identifier assigned to enable indexing for efficient querying.

Administrative and Statistical Units are the geographical extent of administrative, legislative, regulatory, electoral, statistical, governance, service delivery and activity management areas. OS NGD Administrative and Statistical Units Theme data is the most comprehensive and high-quality set of area data available for Great Britain ever produced by OS. You can use the datasets to perform quick and accurate searches as well as high-level visualisation and spatial analysis of features.

The provides a definitive dataset of administrative and electoral boundaries and their names for England, Wales and Scotland. Government Statistical Service (GSS) codes are contained within the data and are supplied by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and the National Records of Scotland (NRS).

As of the end of March 2026, the theme now also includes the , and Collections. These are notional geographies which have been algorithmically derived from other OS NGD data.

• The three new retail areas feature types in the OS Functional Areas Collection define the notional geographic extents of retail locations across Great Britain, identifying clusters of buildings with retail addresses.

The OS Boundaries Collection provides a definitive dataset of administrative and electoral boundaries and their names for England, Wales and Scotland. Government Statistical Service (GSS) codes are contained within the data and supplied by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and the National Records of Scotland (NRS).

The OS Boundaries Collection allows you to:

• Access a seamless coverage of administrative and electoral boundaries across Great Britain.

• Utilise the key boundaries for Great Britain, which have been designed to be used in multiple applications including GIS and web mapping applications.

What is a recipe?

A recipe is a bespoke selection of OS NGD data which is made by a user within OS Select+Build. Recipes allow you to choose the OS NGD data that best fits your requirements.

OS NGD data is structured by themes, collections, and feature types; the main advantage to this data structure is that you can easily find and select individual feature types across different themes and build your own recipes and data package/s containing only the data you are interested in. There's also the option to select all or only a few feature types from a single theme.

Every new recipe you create will be stored in your OS Select+Build Recipe Library. This library will be visible to other people in your organisation. It provides a central place for colleagues to view and use recipes.

Using OS Select+Build recipes

Things to remember

🆕 What's next?

Once you've created your recipe, you'll need to add a data package to receive the data. Data packages allow you to select the format, update frequency and area of interest for the required data. The following guide will help you to create a data package from your new recipe:

You might also like to try creating one of our recommended recipes:

You can edit the content of an existing recipe to add or remove specific themes and feature types, or change attribute filters and data schema versions to pick a specific version of the data you need. You can also edit the name or description of an existing recipe to better represent what it provides.

The following sub-sections on this page cover:

How do I edit the name of my recipe?

To edit a recipe's name:

To edit a recipe's description:

You can edit the content of a recipe to add or remove themes and feature types, change attribute filtering or switch between data schema versions. However, you can't edit a recipe if it has data packages linked to it that receive change-only updates (COUs) – please see the warning note below for instructions on how to solve this issue and create a copy of a recipe.

To edit a recipe that doesn't have data packages linked to it that receive COUs:

The Other Alias Component provides alternate names for counties, localities and thoroughfares. County aliases provide alternate names for a county, including Traditional, Administrative and Former Postal County information. Locality aliases include old short-form names, local names and Postally Not Required (PNR) Localities. Thoroughfare Alias information provides replacement Thoroughfare names for a given Locality, Thoroughfare or Dependent Thoroughfare combination.

For more information about components of the Other Alias table, please consult chapter six 'Alias' of the Royal Mail Programmer's Guide.

Temporal filtering

The earliest date on which you can request a one-off snapshot of a date in the past for data in this feature type is 08 October 2026.

Any data temporally filtered earlier than the specified earliest date noted above for the data schema version may contain data inconsistencies.

More information about temporal filtering is available from the Getting started with temporal filtering guide.

Related component attributes

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

aliasid

Ordnance Survey derived primary key providing a unique row identifier assigned to enable indexing for efficient querying.

• Data Types: String (GPKG), String (CSV)

• Nullable: false

• Max Length: 36

• OS Select+Build Filterable: No

• Data Schema Version: 2.0

Unique Delivery Point Reference Number (UDPRN) assigned by Royal Mail as a persistent identifier, belonging to the feature of which the alias relates to.

• Data Types: Integer (GPKG), Integer (CSV)

• Nullable: false

• OS Select+Build Filterable: No

• Data Schema Version: 2.0

Date of the feature version to which this related component applies. This is used along with the Feature Type ID attribute to join the component to the Royal Mail Address Feature Type.

• Data Types: Date (GPKG), Date (CSV)

• Nullable: false

• OS Select+Build Filterable: No

• Data Schema Version: 2.0

Contains alias name text, derived from either Thoroughfare, Locality or County source tables.

• Data Types: String (GPKG), String (CSV)

• Nullable: false

• Max Length: 150

• OS Select+Build Filterable: No

Indicates the source alias table from which the record has been derived.

• Data Types: String (GPKG), String (CSV)

• Nullable: false

• Max Length: 25

• OS Select+Build Filterable: No

Indicates the alias subdivision applicable to the record.

• Data Types: String (GPKG), String (CSV)

• Nullable: false

• Max Length: 30

• OS Select+Build Filterable: No

Royal Mail raw alias component information, containing concatenated components and codes as a single string attribute.

• Data Types: String (GPKG), String (CSV)

• Nullable: false

• Max Length: 150

• OS Select+Build Filterable: No

The process to load the COU files will depend on a number of factors based on your own environment and requirements, including:

• Database software

• Data loading method or software

• Feature retention and lifecycle requirements

Feature retention options

There are two main scenarios that represent either extreme of the feature lifecycle options:

1. Latest feature view

2. Full feature archive

In this scenario, the COU files are processed and only the current version of every feature is retained. This will result in the same data holdings that would be achieved if a new full supply was received on this date.

To achieve this, either post-processing will have to be done once all COU data is loaded into a database, or the loading process will need to evaluate the COU data against your existing data and process accordingly. This processing will be based on the supplied attributes which detail the type of change and the dates for that version.

Each feature type is supplied with a Change Type attribute (changetype), which is populated from a code list value (changetypevalue).

Below is a table of the possible change types and the resultant actions required to maintain a latest feature view of the data for the specific feature type. Individual features should be targeted based on that feature type's unique identifier. In the majority of feature types, this will be the osid, but this is not always the case; therefore, please check the appropriate feature type documentation.

A single feature may be updated multiple times in a single COU file when multiple changes occur within the selected COU frequency. Instead of suppressing all changes other than the last edit, the COU will contain all of the edits which have been made to that feature.

To obtain the current 'live' view of a feature, the latest edit is required; all previous edits can be discounted. In essence, this requires the following two processes:

1. Discarding all feature records with the exception of the latest Version Available From Date (versionavailablefromdate)

2. Discarding all feature records that have a Version Available To Date (versionavailabletodate) populated, i.e. it is NOT NULL. These records will also have the Change Type Value (changetypevalue) of 'End Of Life' or 'Moved To A Different Feature Type'.

In this scenario, every record is retained, giving a full lifecycle since the supply started of each feature. This will result in multiple records for each feature.

To enable this in a database, the default primary keys (as defined in the provided DDL scripts) will have to be changed to also include the version available from and to dates (versionavailablefromdate, versionavailabletodate).

The address related components provide supplementary non-geospatial information or context about addresses.

There are three addressable object related components in the OS NGD Address Theme; they can be linked to a local authority address record in a feature type using the Unique Property Reference Number (UPRN) as the foreign key. Data schema version 3.0 onward of the Built Address, Historic Address, Non-Addressable Object and Pre-Build Address Feature Types in the OS GB Address and OS Islands Address Collections are supported by the three addressable object related components:

• : These provide alternative address labels where they exist for the ‘current’ address represented on a given feature type.

• : These provide additional Valuation Office Agency (VOA) classification information.