Download GIS data
Terms and conditions
Please read the following and choose which datasets you wish to download.
UK-wide digital datasets for internationally designated sites
The datasets
The datasets available include digital boundaries for all:
Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) that have been submitted by the UK Government to the European Commission (EC).Special Protection Areas (SPAs) submitted by the UK Government to the European Commission (EC).Ramsar sites submitted by the UK Government to the Ramsar Secretariat.
The number of sites included in these datasets match the number of sites
submitted to the relevant authority as identified above.
We cannot currently supply boundary data for proposed/possible sites, i.e.
those that have not yet been submitted to the relevant authority.
Versions
There are two versions of each dataset available:
1. The 'officially submitted' version
2. The latest UK collation. This is a collation of the latest 'working
versions' as maintained by the Country Agency
1. The officially submitted version
Whenever there is a change to the submitted information (e.g. the addition of
a new candidate SAC or an extension to an SPA), the UK Government is required
to update the GIS digitised boundary information. The data for all sites in the
UK have to be collated into a single datafile (shape file) for each of the
three designation types. The procedures currently also require that new
paper maps should be produced whenever there is a change to the site boundary.
The boundaries of individual sites in the digitised datasets match the paper
copies of the maps that form part of the official submission, with the
exception of certain SPAs and Ramsar sites where the
classification/designation pre-dates the use of computerised
GIS. The area estimates (i.e. hectarages) shown on the Natura 2000
standard data forms and the Ramsar Information Sheets have been derived from
these digitised datasets, and should therefore also match up. The "officially
submitted" version available from this website is an exact copy of the dataset
sent to the relevant authority. Because these sites have been
designated/submitted over a number of years, they may not be the same as the
'dynamically updated' version of the boundary data held by the 'source' country
agency (CA).
2. The latest UK collation.
The country agencies hold dynamic data that may reflect changes that are due
to a single or a combination of factors. The factors are :-
- The decision by the CA to re-capture the boundary at a different scale.
- The Ordnance Survey's decision to change a mapping product e.g. the replacement of OS Landline by OS MasterMap.
- The Ordnance Survey's 'Positional Accuracy Improvement' scheme. (See OS website http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/ for more information)
- When site boundaries follow natural features and it is stated on the 'official' paper map that the boundary moves with that feature then the boundary will be re-plotted to that new position. For example, the movement in river channels, Mean High Water Mark/ Mean Low Water Mark.
Generally these factors produce subtle changes to the boundary and do not
trigger the need for re-consultation with site owners/occupiers and other
stakeholders and furthermore do not result in an official resubmission of
either the site paper maps or the digitised datasets.
Each country agency will be working to their own timetable to implement these changes.
JNCC has collated the 'latest version' of the relevant datasets for
all four Countries in the United Kingdom to enable
users to access each of the three
site types as a single shapefile. We are currently
(since May 2005) providing this collation service
on a trial basis for six months.
Many users will find that the 'latest version' is more suited to their needs
than the 'officially submitted' version - this applies especially to users of
the Ordnance Survey's Mastermap dataset. Users must however be aware that the
'latest UK collation' should never be regarded as definitive. In fact it is
only the 'paper map' that is regarded as showing the definitive boundary.
Details of most recent updates
Official version
| Designation type | Last updated | Size (Mb) | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
|
SAC
|
31 August 2007
|
46.7 Mb
|
Download time (56 kb modem):
2 hours
.
Review changes since previous update on 29 January 2004 (Tranche 32).
|
|
SPA
|
31 August 2007
|
24 Mb
|
Download time (56 kb modem):
1 hour
.
.
|
|
Ramsar
|
31 August 2007
|
24 Mb
|
Download time (56 kb modem):
1 hour
.
.
|
Latest collation
| Designation type | Last updated | Size (Mb) | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
|
SAC
|
July 2007
|
71 Mb
|
Download time (56 kb modem):
3:00 hours
.
|
|
SPA
|
July 2007
|
37 Mb
|
Download time (56 kb modem):
1:32 hours
.
|
|
Ramsar
|
July 2007
|
23 Mb
|
Download time (56 kb modem):
57 minutes
.
|
Warning: these are large datasets and may take a long time to download -if
you are unable to successfully download the data you require you may
The data are supplied only as ArcView shape files (the format required for
submission to the EC). Most GIS software packages have conversion routines to
change the data to a different format (e.g. MapInfo has a shape file to MapInfo
file conversion routine). ArcGIS users (version 3, version 8 and
version 9) will be able to use the shape files in their current format. For
ease of use and analysis, the dataset has been 'dissolved' so that each
individual SAC, SPA and Ramsar site has only one multipart polygon. The
projection in the dataset is based on the Ordnance Survey British National
Grid. Please make it clear whether you require the 'official' or 'latest'
version of these datasets.
The 'official' and 'dynamically updated' versions of the dataset have been
collated at JNCC from data supplied by the following organisations:
Scottish Natural Heritage
www.SNH.org.uk
Countryside Council for Wales
www.ccw.gov.uk
Natural England (formerly English Nature)
www.naturalengland.org.uk/
Environment and Heritage Service (Northern Ireland)
www.ehsni.gov.uk
The 'dynamically updated' versions of the boundary data for individual
countries in the UK are also available directly from the appropriate country
agency. Please note that if your requirement for boundary data only relates to
a geographically smaller subset of the UK (e.g. a single country, county or
district), you would probably find it easier to obtain these data directly from
the country agency. The country agencies are also able to supply data not
available from JNCC, e.g. digital boundaries for Sites of Special Scientific
Interest and National Nature Reserves.
The four agencies listed above also provide access to country/area specific
GIS datasets on their websites.
Follow the links below to find out what is currently available from the
country agencies:
The attribute data supplied by JNCC with the boundary datasets includes
the name of the site and the standard EU site code
(e.g. UK0001234). Other
attribute data, e.g. details of interest features
on each designated site are available in the Excel
spreadsheets included in the GIS downloads or
available separately:
These spreadsheets can be used to filter the UK dataset
in many different ways. For example, once you have imported the SAC boundary
dataset into your GIS package, you can import a table
of data from the SAC
spreadsheet, and relate the two using the site code. (This is much more reliable
than linking on the site name). Then by querying on for example "Woodland =
'Y'", you can build a
polygon layer with only those sites which have one
or more woodland features on them. The
spreadsheet itself contains comments giving
an explanation of each
attribute. For further details on how you can use
attribute data from the spreadsheet in
your GIS package, you should contact JNCC's
data custodian (e-mail:
, tel. +44 (0)1733 - 866 882.
The Official dataset will only be updated on the JNCC website following new
submissions of SACs, SPAs or Ramsar sites to the EC or Ramsar Bureau. JNCC will
re-publish the dataset in its entirety within ten working days of the official
submission to the EC. No date has currently been set for the next submission of
data to the EC.
Terms and conditions
BEFORE YOU CLICK ON THE 'I AGREE' BUTTON AT THE END OF THIS DOCUMENT AND
DOWNLOAD THE DATA, YOU MUST CAREFULLY READ THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THIS
LICENCE. BY CLICKING ON THE 'I AGREE' BUTTON AND BY ACCESSING THE DATA YOU WILL
BE DEEMED TO BE BOUND BY THE TERMS OF THIS LICENCE. IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO BE
BOUND THEN PLEASE CLICK THE 'CANCEL' BUTTON NOW.
If you have any queries, please contact JNCC: Joint Nature Conservation
Committee, Monkstone House, Peterborough PE1 1JY,
or telephone +44 (0)1733 - 866 882.
1. Licence
We grant you a non-exclusive non-transferable licence to use, copy and adapt the data which is derived from Ordnance Survey data ('Data') in accordance with the terms of this licence agreement.
You may only use the Data for your own internal business purposes meaning for any purpose relating to a statutory, governmental or regulatory function and not for financial profit or gain. You may only use the Data for your own internal business purposes meaning for any purpose relating to a statutory, governmental or regulatory function and not for financial profit or gain. This licence is applicable until 31 March 2008, after which it will terminate.
We do not guarantee that the digital data is free of minor errors not
materially affecting performance.
The country agencies do not guarantee that the digital data will
be suitable for use with any GIS or any other computer software.
Title, copyright and all other proprietary rights in the digital data remain vested in the following organisations hereafter known as the 'country agencies':
- Natural England (formerly English Nature) - for all sites in England
- Scottish Natural Heritage - sites in Scotland
- Countryside Council for Wales - sites in Wales
- Environment and Heritage Service - sites in Northern Ireland.
JNCC are acting on behalf of all of the above agencies to provide a single
service for the whole of the UK, but does not itself have any authority to
licence the use of these data.
Intellectual property rights in the Data are owned by the Crown and the
aforementioned agencies. You shall not have any rights or interests in the Data
other than as described in this licence.
You must ensure that you protect and do not interfere with any trade names and
trade marks that are in or accompany the Data.
All copies of the Data in whatever form must contain the following
acknowledgement:
"© Crown Copyright. All rights reserved [year document is published]".
If you print a map containing some of this digital data, the following
statements should appear on the map in respect of SAC, SPA and Ramsar site
boundary data for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland respectively:
"© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Natural England, 100046223 [year
document is published]."
"© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Scottish Natural Heritage, 100017908 [year document is published]."
"© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Countryside Council for Wales, 100018813 [year document is published]."
[© Hawlfraint y Goron. Cedwir pob hawl. Cyngor Cefn Gwlad Cymru, 100018813 (blwyddyn cyhoeddi'r ddogfen).]
"© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Environment and Heritage Service (Northern Ireland), [year document is published]."
"© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Scottish Natural Heritage, 100017908 [year document is published]."
"© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Countryside Council for Wales, 100018813 [year document is published]."
[© Hawlfraint y Goron. Cedwir pob hawl. Cyngor Cefn Gwlad Cymru, 100018813 (blwyddyn cyhoeddi'r ddogfen).]
"© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Environment and Heritage Service (Northern Ireland), [year document is published]."
Maps containing any of these digital datasets may not be published in hard copy or the internet without prior written permission from the appropriate country agency or agencies.
2. Restrictions
You must not sub-licence, lend, transfer or otherwise dispose of the Data or this licence or modify, alter, decompile, reverse engineer, or disassemble the Data.
You must not sub-licence, lend, transfer or otherwise dispose of the Data or this licence or modify, alter, decompile, reverse engineer, or disassemble the Data.
Furthermore, we both agree that Ordnance Survey shall benefit from the
Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 so that Ordnance Survey can
enforce its rights directly against you.
3. Promises
YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE DATA HAS NOT BEEN PREPARED TO MEET YOUR INDIVIDUAL REQUIREMENTS AND THEREFORE IT IS PROVIDED TO YOU ON AN 'AS IS' BASIS. IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT THE DATA IS FIT FOR YOUR INTENDED USE. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW WE EXCLUDE ANY CONDITIONS OR TERMS THAT MAY BE IMPLIED BY LAW.
YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE DATA HAS NOT BEEN PREPARED TO MEET YOUR INDIVIDUAL REQUIREMENTS AND THEREFORE IT IS PROVIDED TO YOU ON AN 'AS IS' BASIS. IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT THE DATA IS FIT FOR YOUR INTENDED USE. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW WE EXCLUDE ANY CONDITIONS OR TERMS THAT MAY BE IMPLIED BY LAW.
WE SHALL NOT IN ANY EVENT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL,
OR INCIDENTAL LOSSES OR FOR LOSS OF DATA, LOSS OF PROFITS, LOSS OF OR
INTERRUPTION TO BUSINESS WHETHER ARISING IN TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE)
CONTRACT OR OTHERWISE. WE DO NOT ATTEMPT TO EXCLUDE ANY LIABILITY THAT CANNOT
BE EXCLUDED. EXCEPTING THE ABOVE, OUR TOTAL AND AGGREGATE LIABILITY TO YOU IN
CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE) OR OTHERWISE WILL NOT AT ANY TIME EXCEED
AN AMOUNT EQUAL TO ANY PURCHASE PRICE OR LICENCE FEE PAID TO JNCC.
4. Terminate
We may terminate this licence at any time if any of the following events arises:
We may terminate this licence at any time if any of the following events arises:
You breach any of the terms of this licence;
You become insolvent or bankrupt or cease to do business.
In the event of termination of this licence, you shall cease to use the Data
and if we request, you shall immediately return the Data or destroy them and
provide to us an affidavit or sworn statement from one of your executives
confirming the same.
5. Law
This will be governed by and construed in accordance with English law and both parties accept the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts. If any part of this licence is held to be invalid, unenforceable, or illegal, we both agree that the remainder of the licence will stand.
This will be governed by and construed in accordance with English law and both parties accept the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts. If any part of this licence is held to be invalid, unenforceable, or illegal, we both agree that the remainder of the licence will stand.
By clicking I Agree to proceed with the download process you
are agreeing to the above terms and conditions.
You will be taken to a registration form and asked to provide
a small amount of information about yourself and your proposed use of the data,
before proceeding to the download page.