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WFS

PSGA Scotland members

You may replace references to the domain wfs.viaeuropa.uk.com with wfs.publicsectormapping.gov.scot

WFS (Web Feature Service) is a method of delivering geographical features over the Internet. It is an OGC standard supported by many GIS software products and web mapping APIs.

OGC Standards

  • viaEuropa supports WFS versions 1.0.0, 1.1.0 and 2.0.0. The use of 1.1.0 is recommended.
  • viaEuropa supports WFS over both http and https.

Please note that the viaEuropa WFS has a per-transaction limit of 20,000 features.

To use WFS, you must use an end point to make a Get Capabilities request. This allows your software to be informed (using a language called XML) about the capabilities, features and limits of a WFS service. It also lists the map layers which are available to you. The URL for a viaEuropa WFS Get Capabilities request is as follows. You must replace {id} with a valid viaEuropa ID.

https://wfs.viaeuropa.uk.com/{id}/ows?service=WFS&version=1.1.0&request=GetCapabilities

where:
{id} is your viaEuropa ID

After processing a Get Capabilities request, your software should present a list of the map feature layers available:

Tip

Be careful when adding a WFS layer to an existing map, especially for large scale features such as those from OS MasterMap Topo. If the current view is of a large area, it is likely that the per-transaction limit of 20,000 features will be reached. If you hit this limit then it is highly likely that the resulting dataset is incomplete and probably unusable! Where possible, please limit the zoom range where the WFS is called to an appropriate minimum scale. Most GIS software applications will allow you to limit the results to only those features falling within the current map view.

WFS Layers

APGB

  • apgb.capturedate

Details of the imagery capture dates of the current APGB imagery available via WMTS and WMS.

British Geological Survey (PSGA Scotland members only)

  • bgs.bedrockaqprod_sco - BGS Bedrock Aquifer Productivity (Scotland), v2
  • bgs.groundwatervuln_sco - BGS Groundwater Vulnerability (Scotland) v2
  • bgs.radonpot_sco - UKHSA-BGS Radon Potential for Scotland, v3
  • bgs.superdepaqprod_sco - BGS Superficial Deposits Aquifer Productivity (Scotland), v2

Ordnance Survey AddressBase

  • os.ab.plus
  • os.ab.premium

Ordnance Survey MasterMap Topography Layer

  • os.mm.topo.boundaryline
  • os.mm.topo.cartographicsymbol
  • os.mm.topo.cartographictext
  • os.mm.topo.topographicarea
  • os.mm.topo.topographicline
  • os.mm.topo.topographicpoint
  • os.mm.greenspace

The following change-only update feature layers for OS MasterMap Topography Layer are also available:

  • os.mm.topocou.boundaryline
  • os.mm.topocou.cartographicsymbol
  • os.mm.topocou.cartographictext
  • os.mm.topocou.topographicarea
  • os.mm.topocou.topographicline
  • os.mm.topocou.topographicpoint

Ordnance Survey Open Data - Boundary-Line

  • os.open.boundaryline.scotland_and_wales_const
  • os.open.boundaryline.county
  • os.open.boundaryline.county_electoral_division
  • os.open.boundaryline.district_borough_unitary
  • os.open.boundaryline.district_borough_unitary_ward
  • os.open.boundaryline.european_region
  • os.open.boundaryline.greater_london_const
  • os.open.boundaryline.high_water
  • os.open.boundaryline.parish
  • os.open.boundaryline.scotland_and_wales_region
  • os.open.boundaryline.unitary_electoral_division
  • os.open.boundaryline.westminster_const

Ordnance Survey Open Data - Greenspace

  • os.open.greenspace
  • os.open.greenspace_accesspoint

Ordnance Survey Open Data - Open Names

  • os.open.names

WFS Styling

The Ordnance Survey MasterMap Topography layers above include OS styling attributes that enable these layers to be styled using OS Topography stylesheets. These can be downloaded from the OS GitHub repository.

For further details on using viaEuropa WFS with popular GIS software and web mapping APIs, see the Using viaEuropa section.