Data Sources

This is a list of web portals where you can access open and authoritative geospatial data for the UK and Scotland. These sources can be used to download shapefiles, connect to live web services, and enrich your ArcGIS Online projects with meaningful local datasets.

1. Scottish Spatial Data Infrastructure (SSDI)

The official portal for discovering and accessing spatial datasets from Scottish public bodies.

Data Available: - Administrative boundaries - Environmental and natural heritage data - Planning and infrastructure - Marine and coastal datasets - Data formats: Shapefiles, GeoJSON, WMS, WFS

2. Scotland’s Environment Web

A partnership platform providing environmental datasets and interactive maps.

Data Available: - Land cover and land use - Air and water quality - Biodiversity and habitats - Climate and emissions - Tools: Map viewers, WMS services, downloadable shapefiles

3. Spatial Hub (Improvement Service)

Aggregates and publishes spatial data provided by all 32 Scottish local authorities.

Data Available: - Planning applications - Housing land audits - School catchments - Local development plans - Data formats: Shapefiles, WMS, GeoJSON (registration may be required)

4. UK Government Data Portal (data.gov.uk)

The central open data portal for the UK government.

Data Available: - Transport networks - Health and social care - Demographics and census - Crime and safety - Environment and energy - Formats: CSV, GeoJSON, Shapefiles, APIs, WMS/WFS services

5. Ordnance Survey OpenData

The UK’s national mapping agency providing a range of open and premium geographic datasets.

Data Available: - OpenMap Local (general-purpose vector mapping) - OS Open Roads, OS Open Rivers - Boundary-Line (administrative boundaries) - Access via: Downloads, APIs, and ArcGIS-ready formats

6. National Records of Scotland (NRS) Geography

Provides the official statistical geographies for Scotland.

Data Available: - Data zones and Intermediate Zones - Census output areas - Health boards, local authorities - Formats: Shapefiles, GeoJSON

7. Office for National Statistics (ONS) Geography

Geospatial portal from the ONS offering boundary data and census geography.

Data Available: - Statistical geographies (LSOA, MSOA) - Census 2011 and 2021 boundaries - Parliamentary constituencies - Downloadable in ESRI Shapefile and GeoPackage formats

8. DEFRA Data Services Platform

UK Government’s portal for environment-related data and services.

Data Available: - Flood risk zones - Agricultural land classification - River networks and water quality - Waste and recycling facilities - Access via: Shapefiles, APIs, WMS/WFS

9. OpenStreetMap (Geofabrik UK Extracts)

Extracts from OpenStreetMap for Great Britain, including Scotland.

Data Available: - Buildings, highways, land use, points of interest - Routable and editable map data - Formats: .osm.pbf, shapefiles (via tools like osmconvert or QGIS plugins)

10. Edinburgh GeoPortal

A geospatial data repository from Edinburgh with open datasets.

Data Available: - Local and global environmental data - Terrain and elevation - Land cover and vegetation indexes - Datasets relevant for climate change, ecology, and earth observation

11. Glasgow GeoPortal

A geospatial data repository from Glasgow with open datasets.

Data Available: - Local and global environmental data - Terrain and elevation - Land cover and vegetation indexes - Datasets relevant for climate change, ecology, and earth observation

12. ArcGIS Living Atlas (UK content)

ESRI’s curated collection of geographic information, including UK-specific content.

Data Available: - Demographics, base maps, boundaries - Real-time environmental data - Accessible directly from ArcGIS Online for instant use

13. ArcGIS Living Atlas (UK content)

ESRI’s curated collection of geographic information, including UK-specific content.

Data Available: - Demographics, base maps, boundaries - Real-time environmental data - Accessible directly from ArcGIS Online for instant use

14. Urban Big Data Centre

Urban Big Data Centre is a dynamic national research hub and data service, championing the use of smart data to inform policymaking and enhance the quality of urban life.

Data Available: - Transport and Mobility, Housing and property, Labor Market, Environment.

Tips for students

  • Many of these platforms offer shapefiles, WMS or ArcGIS REST endpoints, which can be added directly to your ArcGIS Online web map.
  • Make sure to always cite the data source in your apps or reports.
  • For reproducibility, record the download date and dataset version.
  • Use filtering and geoprocessing tools in ArcGIS Online to tailor data to your study area.