BGS Geology - 10k (DiGMapGB-10) Artificial: UK Human-Modified Ground Polygons

Polygon vector data identifying areas of artificial or man-made ground across Great Britain, where the surface has been significantly modified by human activity. The data is produced by the British Geological Survey at a 1:10,000 scale, with version 2 covering approximately 30% of England, Scotland, and Wales. It includes classifications such as infilled ground, landscaped ground, made ground, reclaimed ground, worked ground, and disturbed ground.

Use Cases

• Identify potential contamination or instability risks based on the classification of infilled ground and landfill sites.
• Plan construction or infrastructure projects by analyzing the distribution of made ground features like embankments and spoil heaps.
• Assess land reclamation and coastal development impacts based on the mapping of reclaimed ground areas.
• Model hydrological or ecological changes in areas with worked ground, such as former quarries and cuttings.

Strengths

• Data is provided at a detailed 1:10,000 scale.
• Includes a specific classification of six distinct types of artificial ground.
• Produced by the authoritative British Geological Survey (BGS).
• Current development focus includes large urban areas and transport corridors.

Limitations

• Onshore coverage is partial, with only about 30% of Great Britain available in this release.
• The data is a snapshot in time and may become dated rapidly due to land use change.
• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.

Provenance

Source

British Geological Survey (BGS)

Collection Method

Likely derived from geological survey mapping and remote sensing.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-05-28 14:04:51.168486; freshness should be verified

Geography

Partial coverage of England, Scotland, and Wales (approximately 30%).