Aerial photography from BlueSky is proving an essential resource for the delivery of Local Government services across Essex. The ultra detailed digital photomap covers 3,500 square kilometres including Stansted Airport, parts of the M25 motorway, development sites for the 2012 Olympics together with every house, garden and street within the County. Already in use by three of the county’s Local Authorities; Colchester Borough Council, Chelmsford Borough Council and Maldon District Council, the BlueSky imagery is assisting the delivery of a range of services, supporting decision making and improving communication both internally and with residents and third parties.
At Colchester, the aerial imagery is being used in Environmental Control, Planning, Estates Management, Regeneration and Conservation. Uses include identification and monitoring of development sites, providing crucial evidence in enforcement appeal cases and the identification of potentially contaminated land with aerial photography adding valuable detail not available from other sources. Another use is for legal cases where the photography supports prosecution files and applications for warrants giving Magistrates an easy to understand view of a property, it’s surrounding area and the scale of an incident or environmental nuisance.
Neighbouring Chelmsford is the fast expanding County Town of Essex and the BlueSky survey delivers a highly detailed and up to the minute view of the Borough, updating previous surveys held by the Council and providing a snapshot of development. Users both within the Planning Department and throughout the Council access the imagery, stored on a centralised data server, using the Council’s geographical information system (GIS). Meanwhile in Maldon, with a landscape and character dominated by 60 miles of coastline, is using the imagery as an additional layer of information within their GIS to assist with planning enforcement and development control.
Source: BlueSky