LIDAR Composite DTM 2017 - 25cm
This dataset is retired and no longer available on the Data Services Platform. The Environment Agency Geomatics team no longer produce a 25cm resolution composite product. This has been replaced by a 1m resolution version. The entire archive of lidar data, including the 1m composite and 25cm time-stamped data, is available to download from the following page: https://environment.data.gov.uk/survey. The LIDAR Composite DTM (Digital Terrain Model) is a raster elevation model covering areas of England at 25cm spatial resolution. Produced by the Environment Agency in 2017, this dataset is derived from a combination of our full time stamped archive, which has been merged and re-sampled to give the possible coverage. Where repeat surveys have been undertaken the newest, resolution data is used. The composite is updated on an annual basis to include the latest surveys. The DTM (Digital Terrain Model) is produced from the last return LIDAR signal. We remove surface objects from the Digital Surface Model (DSM), using bespoke algorithms and manual editing of the data, to produce a terrain model of just the surface. Available to download as ASCII files in 5km grids, data is presented in metres, referenced to Ordinance Survey Newlyn, using the OSTN’15 transformation. All LIDAR data has a vertical accuracy of +/-15cm RMSE. A tinted shaded relief, which is an image showing what LIDAR looks like when loaded into specialist software, is also available as a WMS feed. You can also download survey index files which shows, for any location, what Time Stamped survey went into the production of the LIDAR composite. Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) is an airborne mapping technique, which uses a laser to measure the distance between the aircraft and the ground. Up to 500,000 measurements per second are made of the ground, allowing highly detailed terrain models to be generated at spatial resolutions of between 25cm and 2 metres. The Environment Agency’s open data LIDAR arc.
Trust score
How is this computed?Composite of 5 axes from our methodology (proof-based officialness, live verification, metadata completeness, license clarity, agent readiness).
- Officialnessweight 25%50/100
Not public-sector → neutral score; not subject to the proof checker.
- Availabilityweight 25%100/100
Latest verification succeeded.
- Metadata completenessweight 20%40/100
4 of 10 recommended metadata fields populated.
- License clarityweight 15%50/100
License info not yet tracked for APIs (datasets only).
- Agent readinessweight 15%10/100
Topic tags assigned
Data access
Serves rendered map images, not a downloadable table — so there is no tabular schema. The service's GetCapabilities document lists the available map layers.
Verification Status
Using the API
Configuration
- Base URL
- https://environment.data.gov.uk/spatialdata/survey-index-files/wms
Query examples
curl -s 'https://environment.data.gov.uk/spatialdata/survey-index-files/wms' -H 'Accept: application/json'Base API endpoint — see the documentation for available routes.