Birmingham Historic Landscape Characterisation (HLC)
Adrian Axinte, 2017. https://doi.org/10.5284/1043264. How to cite using this DOI
Data copyright © Birmingham City Council unless otherwise stated
This work is licensed under the ADS Terms of Use and Access.
Primary contact
Adrian
Axinte
Programme Co-ordinator
Education Infrastructure - Asset Management
Birmingham City Council
PO Box 15843
Birmingham
B2 2RT
Resource identifiers
- ADS Collection: 2164
- DOI:https://doi.org/10.5284/1043264
- How to cite using this DOI
Overview
The Birmingham HLC covers a total area of 26,798 ha (66,219 acres) and its database contains 6,974 HLC records, and also 111 character areas of significantly larger size and broader land use character. It uses 38 broad land use types and 432 'individual' types (sub-types) to describe its HLC records, and another 18 types and 124 sub-types for the character areas.
The Birmingham HLC dataset is now publicly available online through four webpages:
- A 'main' HLC webpage: www.birmingham.gov.uk/hlc. This page on the BCC main site contains a short introduction to the Birmingham HLC, links to the HLC mapping webpages and several downloadable attachments, includeing the full Birmingham HLC record and character area datasets, the text of 'Mapping Birmingham's Historic Landscape' brochure, the final project report and two presentations.
- Historic maps and layers of the Birmingham area: https://localview.birmingham.gov.uk/Planning/Sites/HLC_Maps/. The first of three HLC webpages on the BCC local mapping site, this allows the user to select a modern or historic map and then overlay onto it a number of map layers: HLC record and character area 'polygons', HER (Historic Environment Record) data, outlines of current roads and buildings and historic custom layers created during this project. Clicking onto any HER or HLC record or character area with the 'Identify' button, opens out a form displaying detailed information about it.
- The evolution of Birmingham's landscape using HLC record data: https://localview.birmingham.gov.uk/Planning/Sites/HLC_Records/. This second HLC mapping webpage uses the broad land use types of the HLC records to create a 'thematic timeslice' map of Birmingham's landscape throughout time. Each one of ten pre-selected historic dates is represented by a map layer group containing all the broad land use types present at that date as colour-coded individual layers. Every map layer and group can be turned on or off in the legend, enabling the site user to view only the information desired.
- The evolution of Birmingham's landscape using character area data: https://localview.birmingham.gov.uk/Planning/Sites/HLC_Areas/. This third HLC mapping webpage works similarly to the second one, but uses character area data. Its creation was only possible because of the pioneering way in which the Birmingham HLC captured character area data, using a system of land use types similar to, and derived from, those used for the HLC records.
Downloads
A number of project-related files can be downloaded (in PDF format) from the archive, they include:
- Full Birmingham HLC Record Dataset (HBM1-3500) - Contains all the data captured for the HLC records between HBM1 and HBM3500 (and for HWA330).
- Full Birmingham HLC Record Dataset (HBM3501-6822 and HWA) - Contains all the data captured for the HLC records between HBM3501 and HBM6822 (plus the c. 150 HWAxxxx records in north-eastern Birmingham originally captured as part of the Warwickshire HLC).
- Full HLC Area Dataset (BCA1-111) - Contains all the data captured for the Birmingham character areas (from BCA1 to BCA111).
To view data on any individual record or character area in the Birmingham HLC, please search inside the respective file above by its number (HLCUID).
