Foreword

We are delighted to share with you our Data and Information Plan which explains how we will continue to develop our data and information over the next 3 years and beyond. As a society we are living through a period of rapid technological change and innovation driven by exponential growth in computational power and the proliferation of data. We believe that data-driven innovation can transform how we and others succeed in making a better future for people and the environment in mining areas.

We hold a unique and extensive collection of data and information that details Britain’s mining legacy and its impacts on the environment and this, combined with our people’s deep understanding of the risks and opportunities that past mining presents, sits at the centre of everything we do.

Our authoritative data are used to identify hazards, respond to incidents and emergencies, and to design systems that help prevent mine water from polluting drinking water and rivers. Our data includes underground mine workings that sit beneath approximately 25% of properties in Great Britain and we support the property market on the coalfields by providing information that is used to produce 315,000 mining reports enabling developers, homeowners, infrastructure providers and others to make informed decisions. We are working with partners to find new ways of accessing and using our data so that faster decisions can be made to enable property transactions on the coalfields.

We will continue to modernise our data and information to ensure that it remains authoritative, relevant and is used to enable wider outcomes for the environment and communities we serve. This includes providing new data that will enable the take up of mine water heat opportunities at scale providing stable, low carbon heat for homes and businesses.

We recognise that others use our data and information to make better, evidence-based decisions and will focus on activities that increase these opportunities. We will make more of the information we capture through our activities available online and actively support initiatives that encourage others to innovate with our data.

As a public body that holds nationally important geospatial data, we work with the Geospatial Commission to look at how, by working together with our government partners, we can help to find solutions to society’s biggest challenges including climate change, energy security, economic growth and national security. The ambitions laid out here support of the UK Geospatial Strategy 2030 and the National Data Strategy.

We are excited by the opportunities we have. We will achieve our mission by continuing to learn from what we do and by listening to others. We always welcome suggestions on what we may do differently or how you think we can do better.