Places
Places information refers to the names allocated to geographic features and places such as towns, hills and rivers. This type of information enables searching through library archives and other catalogues for information on a particular landmark, place or natural feature. The name itself can be a gateway to further information on the history of the place. For example, genealogists may wish to search for information on a parish where an ancestor had been born in order to add further information to their family tree.
Places information is seen, within the geographic information industry, to incorporate:
Locational Reference Data - Information that allows us to link information to a particular place such as postcode, grid reference or place name.
This definition is taken from the first 'Key Geographies' paper.
Places data, as noted in responses to the One Scotland - One Geography strategy, has not been standardised and there may be as many as four alternative derivations of the same place name. Ordnance survey, local authorities and local communities may all recognise alternative names for the same place. This creates particular problems for the tourism industry, road haulage companies and emergency services.
This type of information is equally crucial to the delivery of public services and business. For example ambulance drivers still at times depend on paper maps when trying to locate a property. Valuable time can be lost due to road signs not matching the spelling of a road or place on a map or where a map may not show a recent housing development.