This dataset is wholly owned by Ordnance Survey (OS) and licenced for use by Natural Resources Wales (NRW) via an open data licence issued by OS. OS open data products (OS OpenData) are a set of free digital maps of Great Britain, available for anyone to use, for any purpose. The maps include data on roads, rivers and boundaries. This dataset includes layers derived from those available from OS.

Abstract

This resource contains the spatial dataset of Special Areas of Conservation in Great Britain (excluding offshore areas), last updated in April 2019. The date of the latest update to the data is shown in the file name.

The spatial dataset for Northern Ireland is available as a separate resource.

Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs) form the UK’s National Site Network. JNCC maintains UK National Site Network datasets (formerly UK Natura 2000 datasets) and periodically publishes updates of the datasets following changes to the site network, which include:

• designation/classification of new sites;
• amendments to existing site boundaries;
• corrections to the datasets or amendments due to updates to the underlying base maps.

This dataset was last updated in April 2019. More recent changes to the UK National Site Network (last updated in September 2022) have not resulted in a update to the dataset. Further information on updates to the SAC network, including details of previous updates, can be found on the SACs webpage.

Please note that the statutory nature conservation body responsible for the sites may update site boundary data in between JNCC's periodic updates. To access the latest national site network boundary data, please visit the relevant CNCB website.

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Responsible organisation Digital and Data Solutions, JNCC distributor data@jncc.gov.uk

Limitations on public access No limitations

Use constraints Released under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Attribution statement: “Contains public sector data from © JNCC/NE/NRW/NatureScot 2019. Contains OS data © Crown Copyright and database right 2019.” This dataset is registered with OS under the presumption to publish notification arrangement to enable free onward use under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0.

From Parliamentary constituencies to council wards, Boundary-Line™ maps every administrative boundary in detail for you. And what's more, it's completely free to download and use.

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The High Water Mark digital dataset is derived from relevant 6 inch and 25 inch Ordnance Maps. The alterations are in accordance with the Boundary Survey Acts Ireland, approved by the Chief Boundary Surveyor and signed off in Privy Council Orders. The dataset also includes changes to HWM brought about by subsequent Maritime Orders. This dataset is currently under review.

This dataset is provided by Tailte Éireann – National Mapping Division.

This dataset is refreshed on a weekly basis from the datasets the team works on daily.Last update date: 06 March 2025.National Highways Operational Highway Boundary (RedLine) maps out the land belonging to the highway for the whole Strategic Road Network (SRN). It comprises two layers; one being the an outline and another showing the registration status / category of land of land that makes up the boundary. Due to the process involved in creating junctions with local highway authority (LHA) roads, land in this dataset may represent LHA highway (owned by National Highways but the responsibility of the LHA to maintain). Surplus land or land held for future projects does not form part of this dataset.The highway boundary is derived from:Ordnance Survey Mastermap Topography,HM Land Registry National Polygon Service (National Highway titles only), andplots researched and digitised during the course of the RedLine Boundary Project.The boundary is split into categories describing the decisions made for particular plots of land. These categories are as follows:Auto-RedLine category is for plots created from an automated process using Ordnance Survey MasterMap Topography as a base. Land is not registered under National Highways' name. For example, but not limited to, unregistered ‘ancient’ highway vested in Highways England, or bridge carrying highways over a rail line.NH Title within RedLine category is for plots created from Land Registry Cadastral parcels whose proprietor is National Highways or a predecessor. Land in this category is within the highway boundary (audited) or meets a certain threshold by the algorithm.NH Title outside RedLine category is for plots created in the same way as above but these areas are thought to be outside the highway boundary. Where the Confidence is Low, land in this category is yet to be audited. Where the Confidence is High, land in this category has been reviewed and audited as outside our operational boundary.National Highways (Technician) Data category is for plots created by National Highways, digitised land parcels relating to highway land that is not registered, not yet registered or un-registerable.Road in Tunnel category, created using tunnel outlines from Ordnance Survey MasterMap Topography data. These represent tunnels on Highways England’s network. Land is not registered under National Highways' name, but land above the tunnel may be in National Highways’ title. Please refer to the definitive land ownership records held at HM Land Registry.The process attribute details how the decision was made for the particular plot of land. These are as follows:Automated category denotes data produced by an automated process. These areas are yet to be audited by the company.Audited category denotes data that has been audited by the company.Technician Data (Awaiting Audit) category denotes data that was created by National Highways but is yet to be audited and confirmed as final.The confidence attribute details how confident you can be in the decision. This attribute is derived from both the decisions made during the building of the underlying automated dataset as well as whether the section has been researched and/or audited by National Highways staff. These are as follows:High category denotes land that has a high probability of being within the RedLine boundary. These areas typically are audited or are features that are close to or on the highway.Moderate category denotes land that is likely to be within the highway boundary but is subject to change once the area has been audited.Low category denotes land that is less likely to be within the highway boundary. These plots typically represent Highways England registered land that the automated process has marked as outside the highway boundary.Please note that this dataset is indicative only. For queries about this dataset please contact the GIS and Research Team.

The Geological Survey of Northern Ireland (GSNI) and the British Geological Survey (BGS) completed a regional geochemical survey of Northern Ireland's soils, sediments and waters between 2004 and 2006.

Soil sampling of all of Northern Ireland was completed under the Tellus survey between 2004 and 2006. Soil samples were collected on a systematic basis from rural areas in most of the region, excluding only the major urban centres of Belfast and Bangor. Soils were also collected at a higher sampling density from the urban areas of Belfast, Bangor, Carrickfergus, Carryduff, Castlereagh, Greenisland, Holywood, Lisburn, Newtownabbey and Londonderry, although these urban results are not reported here.

In rural areas, samples were collected from alternate 1 km Irish national- grid squares. Site selection within each square was random, subject to the avoidance wherever possible of roads, tracks, railways, human habitation and other disturbed ground. At each site two composite samples of five auger flights were collected, each composite sample comprising approximately 750 g of unsieved material. Samples were collected using a hand auger with a 20 by 5 cm flight from a standard depth interval of 5–20 cm for designated ‘A’ samples, referred to subsequently as ‘surface soils’, and at 35–50 cm for designated ‘S’ samples (nominally the B horizon), referred to subsequently as ‘deep soils’. Some 6,862 regional soil sites were sampled (see supplementary map - soil locations) and analysed, resulting in an average regional sampling density of 1 site per 2 km2. Observations of soil colour, depth, clast lithology and abundance were recorded at site. The samples were classified into five textural groups (sand, sand-silt, silt, silt-clay and clay).

The methods used for urban soils were similar except that (1) the sample density was higher, at four sites per square kilometre; (2) the sample sites corresponded closely to a predefined grid and did not avoid areas of human influence. In addition, extra samples requiring special treatment were taken for the determination of selected organic constituents (Smyth, 2009: especially Appendix 1).

At each soil sample site, information on the location, site and catchment geology, contamination, land use, and other features required for data interpretation were entered onto field cards. The sample location was also plotted on a field copy of the 1:50 000 Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland (OSNI) map.

Observations from field cards were entered into a digital Access2000™ database after undergoing a field quality control process (Lister et al, 2005). This involved checking that the correct codes had been recorded on field cards and that GPS coordinates recorded on the card matched those in the GPS unit for each site. Thus both a traditional paper archive of observations was maintained as well as the construction of a computerised database.

Soils were initially air-dried at the field-base prior to transport to the sample store where they were dried in a temperature controlled oven at 30°C for 2–3 days. At the end of each field campaign samples were checked against field sheets prior to packing for transport to the BGS laboratory for sample preparation. On arrival at the laboratory samples were checked against shipping lists prior to assigning laboratory batch numbers in the BGS UKAS Quality Assurance System. The A and S soils were prepared in the same manner in a trace-level sample preparation laboratory.

Samples were disaggregated prior to sieving to a <2 mm fraction using nylon mesh. Replicate samples were prepared by riffle splitting each of the duplicate samples. Soil pH and LOI was determined for every A surface soil sample. A representative 30 g (± 2 g) sub-sample was obtained by cone and quartering. This sub-sample was then milled in an agate ball mill at 300 rpm for 30 minutes.

Different analytical procedures were employed for the surface and deep soils. Pressed pellet production and XRF analysis were completed by laboratory on surface soils only. Sub-samples of milled soil were weighed and placed into tamper-evident plastic sample tubes. The XRF pressed pellet was prepared by adding an aliquot (3 g ±0.05 g) of two blended synthetic waxes comprising 90 % EMU 120 FD wax and 10 % Ceridust (both waxes are styrene based co-polymers) to 12 g (± 0.05 g) of milled material. This mixture was milled for 4 minutes at 300 rpm. On completion of the binder milling the prepared powders were placed into tamper evident plastic sample tubes for temporary storage prior to pellet preparation. Pellets (40 mm) were pressed using a calibrated Herzog semi-automatic pellet press at 25 kN.

Prior to analysis, concealed certified reference materials and secondary reference materials were inserted into the sample batches. XRF analysis of the A samples was undertaken at the BGS; ICP analysis of A and S samples at SGS Laboratories, Toronto; and fire-assay of S samples at SGS Laboratories, Toronto.

For the Tellus samples, Energy Dispersive Polarised X-Ray Fluorescence (ED(P)- XRF) spectrometers were used to analyse those elements for which the WD-XRF spectrometers were insufficiently sensitive. Certified Reference Material (CRM) standards were used to calibrate the instruments. The PANalytical software was used for spectral deconvolution and to fit calibration curves, applying matrix correction by internal ratio Compton correction method. The calibrations were validated by analysis of a wide range of RMs. The detectors were calibrated weekly. All backgrounds and peaks were corrected for instrument drift using two external ratio monitors, when required. Quality control was maintained by regular analysis of two glass monitor samples containing 47 elements at nominally 30 mg/ kg and 300 mg/kg. Results were presented as run charts for statistical analysis using statistical process control software (SPC).

The lower limits of detection are theoretical values for the concentration equivalent to three standard deviations (99.7 % confidence interval) above the background count rate for the analyte in an iron-rich alumino-silicate matrix. For silicate matrices the practical detection limits for most elements approach the theoretical values due to high instrumental stability. LLDs were calculated from a matrix blank and the ‘synthetic’ Pro-Trace standards.

Individual results are not reliable below the quoted lower limits, but reliable estimates of the average or typical values over an area may be obtained at lower levels of concentration; meaningful distribution patterns may thus be recognised for some elements at levels lower than the LLD.

The data are described in Young, Mike; Donald, Alex, eds. 2013 A guide to the Tellus data. Belfast, UK, Geological Survey of Northern Ireland, 233pp. available for free download from: http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/509171/

The Tellus survey was funded by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI), now the Department for the Economy (DfE) in Northern Ireland and the INTERREG IVA programme of the European Union (EU) Regional Development Fund.

"One of the two datasets that make up the Priority River Habitat Map. Consists of rivers and streams that exhibit a high degree of naturalness. The naturalness classification used to map priority river habitat is based on recent work to review the river SSSI series. It evaluates four main components of habitat integrity: hydrological, physical, physico-chemical (water quality) and biological. An additional classification of the naturalness of headwaters (defined as streams with a catchment area of <10km2 to coincide with WFD typology boundaries) uses land cover data as a surrogate for direct information on river habitat condition (information which is generally lacking on headwaters). Streams and rivers operating under natural processes, free from anthropogenic impact and with a characteristic and dynamic mosaic of small-scale habitats that supports characteristic species assemblages (including priority species), are the best and most sustainable expression of river ecosystems. Key elements are: a natural flow regime; natural nutrient and sediment delivery regimes; minimal physical modifications to the channel, banks and riparian zone; natural longitudinal and lateral hydrological and biological connectivity; an absence of non-native species; low intensity fishery activities. These conditions provide the best defence against climate change, maximising the ability of riverine ecosystems to adapt to changing conditions. They also provide the most valuable and effective transitional links with other priority habitats, including lakes, mires and coastal habitats. In English rivers and streams, high levels of naturalness are rare. " Attribution statement: © Natural England copyright. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right [year].