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The recent discussion regarding listed building digitized data raises the question of data duplication:
We started to digitize the text held in the blue & greenbacks with the addition of more accurate NGRs a number of years ago. We now have this data more or less complete and also (like John Wood) have a GIS layer with the outlines of the listed structures. I been aware for some time that DCMS/EH were digitizing LB data, and they too were plotting them on GIS. Furthermore, some, if not all, of our distict councils are digitizing the LB text, plotting the listed buildings or doing both.
Leaving the issue of copyright on one side (as it could be a minefield!) it occurs to me that for many areas the same work (ie digitizing the LB text and plotting the buildings) is being done at least 3 times over. This really does not make too much sense. Stastistic are not my strong point, but it occurs to me that the likelihood of errors occuring on the databases or the GIS layers are at least 3 times graeater than they would be if one body/group of bodies was doing this work and supplying it to the other bodies. Surely, it is not beyond DCMS, EH and LAs to agree to which level this work should be carried out and have it distributed to all the other parties.
Chris Wardle