1Spatial contract underpins major upgrade to UK infrastructure intelligence

1Spatial, a global provider of geospatial data solutions, has been selected by Ordnance Survey as prime contractor for a five-year agreement to deliver the National Underground Asset Register (NUAR) Data Transformation and Ingestion Service.

NUAR is a Government Digital Service (GDS) programme, operated by Ordnance Survey, aimed at creating a digital map of underground pipes and cables across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The initiative is designed to improve how buried infrastructure is planned, installed, maintained and repaired across multiple sectors of the economy.

The programme involves the ingestion of data from more than 600 public- and private-sector asset owners, including utility companies and local authorities. These datasets vary widely in format, scale and quality. Using the 1Spatial Data Platform, the information is transformed into a single, unified dataset. The platform is built to scale, enabling hundreds of asset owners to upload and process their data efficiently and consistently.

Round-the-clock access to underground asset data

At present, work involving buried infrastructure often requires engagement with multiple organizations, with average information request times exceeding six days. NUAR is intended to provide immediate, round-the-clock access to accurate underground asset data. This will allow planners, engineers and excavators to obtain the information they need at the point of use, improving operational efficiency and safety.

Once fully operational, NUAR is expected to contribute more than £400 million annually to the UK economy through productivity gains, a reduction in accidental asset strikes, and fewer disruptions to businesses and the public. The programme also supports the delivery of national infrastructure projects, including transport networks and housing developments.

NUAR represents a significant step in the digital transformation of the UK’s critical national infrastructure. The programme has also been positioned as a benchmark for embedding security into large-scale national initiatives, applying a security-first approach throughout its design and delivery.

Data integration at scale

Claire Milverton, CEO of 1Spatial, commented: “We are delighted to continue our collaboration with Ordnance Survey on this nationally significant project, validating the strength of our product offering. The renewal and upgrade of our role highlight our position as a trusted partner in delivering innovative geospatial solutions that create long-term value for government, industry and the public.”

“NUAR will become one of the most comprehensive underground asset datasets globally and a high-profile example of data integration at scale, with our platform transforming fragmented records into a consistent, validated dataset. The complexity of harmonizing thousands of datasets represents a strong barrier to entry to other vendors and with similar initiatives emerging internationally, we are strongly positioned to leverage the strength of our technology platform worldwide,” Milverton continued. “Looking ahead, initiatives like NUAR, alongside platforms such as our 1Streetworks solution which already leverages authoritative geospatial data, have the potential to transform industries.”

Nick Lindsay, NUAR business lead at Ordnance Survey, added: “NUAR is a vital step toward improving safety, efficiency and coordination across buried infrastructure. We’re pleased to continue our close collaboration with 1Spatial, whose technology plays a central role in facilitating automated data governance, while delivering increased efficiencies on this critical project.”