Property subsidence assessment
BGS Datasets
Key information
Scale:
PSA buildings: 1:50 000; PSA postcodesCoverage:
England & WalesAvailability:
via BGS Data ResellersFormat:
PSA Buildings: GIS polygon data (ESRI, others available by request) PSA Postcode: Database csv tablesPrice:
Contact BGS Data resellers
Uses:
Local-level useSubsidence hazards as a result of shrink–swell clay soils, inadequate foundation structures and tree presence/proximity, may lead to financial loss for anyone involved in the ownership or management of property, including developers, householders or local government. These costs could include increased insurance premiums, depressed house prices and, in some cases, require engineering works to stabilise land or property.
BGS property subsidence assessment — buildings sample. BGS © UKRI. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown Copyright and database rights 2020. Ordnance Survey Licence No. 100021290 EUL.
The BGS property subsidence assessment dataset uses a combination of best available geology, tree location and property (including age, drainage, building type and number of storeys) information to provide property- and postcode-specific information on ground movement (predominately due to shrink–swell) across England and Wales. The product enhances geological information obtained from the GeoSure insurance product and GeoSure, and includes a risk element for the housing stock at postcode and building level.
The BGS property subsidence assessment dataset identifies the risk of subsidence at property and postcode resolutions. There are two levels of data:
- BGS property subsidence assessment buildings: building-level vector GIS data with X,Y coordinates, built on OS Open Map Local, providing individual risk scores for:
- geology
- tree distance and density
- age of building (and likely foundation depth)
- potential drainage failure associated with the building
- number of storeys
- building type
- a combined hazard score
- BGS property subsidence assessment postcodes: postcode-level data, delivered as a .csv table, providing a combined hazard score for each postcode.
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This product provides an index-level assessment of the potential for financial insurance loss due to natural ground movement.
BGS GeoSure: shrink–swell
Many soils contain clay minerals that absorb water when wet (making them swell), and lose water as they dry (making them shrink). Many of us see this in our gardens when the ground becomes cracked during the summer, yet becomes ‘heavy’ in the winter.