Case Study: Northumberland National Park achieves International Dark Sky Park status and 40% faster surveys with Ordnance Survey

Northumberland National Park - Customer Case Study

Northumberland National Park (together with Kielder Water and Forest Park) wanted to secure International Dark Sky Park status by reducing light pollution across the large protected area, but first needed to identify which properties emitted external lighting. The National Park Authority worked with Ordnance Survey, using products such as AddressBase® Plus, OS MasterMap® Topography Layer and OS Terrain® 50 to define the park boundary and pinpoint buildings for assessment.

Ordnance Survey’s AddressBase Plus and OS mapping enabled the team to target the 1,538 postal addresses that emitted light, cutting survey time from about five weeks to three weeks (a 40% reduction) and saving roughly £2,500. By concentrating inspections and informing a new lighting management plan with Ordnance Survey data, Northumberland National Park achieved International Dark Sky Park status (Gold) in December 2013.

Northumberland National Park

Tony Gates

Chief Executive