Oxford City Council is implementing a sophisticated mapping system that gives instant access to a vast database of council records, including scans of 80,000 original planning application documents dating back to 1948.  Using eGGP, a web-based geographic information system from GGP, the council has linked planning records to maps and scanned images that can be viewed online at the touch of a button.

Residents can go to the Oxford City website to search both current and historic planning applications, to submit new applications and to view planning constraints within the area. eGGP enables requests for information received through the Councils website to be answered via interactive links to the Councils planning records and document archives. 

The system currently holds details of over 80,000 planning applications with an average of 2,000 new applications being filed each year. Users can click on a point on the map and instantly view planning applications held in the IDOX document imaging system.  As each planning application filed from 2002 has a minimum of four documents associated with it this equates to a vast amount of information, currently in excess of 63 Gigabytes!  It is anticipated that additional information will be made available through the online service including Listed Buildings, Tree Preservation Orders and Planning Enforcement Notices together with the Authority's Local Plan.

"eGGP has provided us with a cost effective tool to improve the communication of planning information allowing fast delivery of information in response to queries through our website," said Janice Brown, Property Systems Team Leader at Oxford City Council. "eGGP allows seamless integration between different systems with access to records through on screen maps.  In support of the Council-wide e-Government initiative it is hoped that additional information will be made available through this solution."