Bristol to launch historic maps website

Bristol city council has set up an area of its website providing a range of old maps held at Bristol Record Office and the information in the Historic Environment Record - the primary source for all information relating to the city's history and archaeology. The council said the site, named Know Your Place, will help to inform planning policy decisions, map heritage assets across the city and generally assist with the management of Bristol's historic environment. It has been developed in partnership with local groups and funding from English Heritage, and will also be available for the public to use and to add their own images and information. The website, to be launched on 16 March, will include tithe maps dating up to the mid-19th century and early Ordnance Survey maps. These are linked to modern charts and other historic information, including some images from the Braikenridge Collection of early 19th century illustrations held at Bristol Museum and Art Gallery. Councillor Anthony Negus, cabinet member for strategic housing and regeneration, said: "We hope that Know Your Place website will become an essential tool to help individuals, communities, developers, design professionals and students to develop a deeper understanding of our city and how it has evolved over the centuries. A key aspect will be the ability of community groups to contribute to this living on line resource as it develops. "Know Your Place is part of a wider initiative by the City Design team to promote good urban design throughout the city, not just in conservation areas." This article is published by Guardian Professional. For updates on public sector IT, join the Government Computing Network here.