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National LIDAR Programme

Published by Defra

DatasetExecutable4/7Query nowOpen workbenchSubscribe🇬🇧United Kingdom

National LIDAR Programme dataset published by the Environment Agency and Defra, providing 1m resolution elevation data for England. The country was divided into 302 survey blocks captured in winter months between 2017 and 2023 (Phase 1), with subsequent repeat surveys of selected blocks assigned incrementing phase numbers according to ongoing data needs. Data is released quarterly via the Defra Data Services survey portal in 5km tiles aligned to the Ordnance Survey grid, including point cloud data (LAZ format, classified into ground and vegetation classes) and Digital Surface Models (GeoTiff), alongside an index catalogue describing each tile's survey details.The Environment Agency National LIDAR Programme provides accurate elevation data at 1m spatial resolution for all of England. In 2017 we divided the country into 302 survey blocks covering all of England which were subsequently captured during the winter months (approximately November to April each year) between January 2017 and February 2023. These are known as our 'Phase 1' national lidar programme surveys. Subsequently we have undertaken repeat surveys of specific blocks based on the on-going requirements for upto date elevation data. Each repeat survey block is given a new incrementing phase number, for example the second time we capture a block this is that blocks 'phase 2' whilst the 3rd time will be 'phase 3'. There is not curretly a plan to capture all the origianl phase 1 survey blocks over a rolling programme with repeat surveys be based on the requirements for upto date elevation data for an area. All data is published through the DEFRA Data Services survey portal on a quartely on-going bases and a number of different products area available for each survey block. All products are available in 5km tiles aligned to the ordnance survey grid. The tiles are named by the unique survey id, OS grid reference and the first and last survey date of the survey id (PXXXXXOSOSOSSDFLOWNEDFLOWN.). The surface models are available in GeoTiff raster format whilst the point cloud is available in.laz. An index catalogue is also available with provides survey specific information about each tile. Outlined below is a description of each product that is available for each survey block: LIDAR Point Cloud: is the discrete LIDAR returns that are used in the creation of the surface models. Supplied in *.laz format they the discrete LIDAR returns have been classified into ground, low, medium and high vegetation classes using an automated classification process. Digital Surface Model(s) (DSM) are created from the last or only LIDAR pulse returned to the sensor and con.