How Opus can help you meet changes in planning policy in Wales
There are significant changes on their way that will affect the way Councils develop planning policy in Wales. In this article we take a look at how OpusMap and OpusConsult…
There are significant changes on their way that will affect the way Councils develop planning policy in Wales. In this article we take a look at how OpusMap and OpusConsult…
The Atlas Gwynedd project grew out of the merging of two ideas. Immediately prior to the abolition of Gwynedd County Council in 1996 the concept of producing a ‘County Atlas’ was…
Socitm is the UK-based professional body for people involved in the leadership and management of IT and digitally enabled services delivered for public benefit. Amongst various activities they regularly produce…
Socitm is the UK-based professional body for people involved in the leadership and management of IT and digitally enabled services delivered for public benefit. Amongst various activities they regularly produce…
Socitm is the UK-based professional body for people involved in the leadership and management of IT and digitally enabled services delivered for public benefit. Amongst various activities they regularly produce…
Wales has enjoyed devolved power to pass planning laws since 2011. Later this year, for the first time, it will. When it happens, digital technology won’t just be desirable for…
Northamptonshire County Council choose Opus3
Under a competitive tender Northamptonshire County Council’s Planning department chose Opus3 as their preferred system for publishing and managing their LDF and planning policy maps and documents online. You can see their live site for the Minerals and Waste Development Plan here.
Shari Nelson, the MWDF Manager at Northamptonshire said:
Northamptonshire County Council’s (NCC) Planning Service has recently (December 2010) gone live with Opus 3 Online LDF Mapping. The hosted service provides for online public access to LDF documents linked to an interactive map (and vice versa).
NCC has used the interactive mapping component for the purpose of an electronic Proposals Map linking to policies within the LDF documents, and as a land use & planning constraints map. Positive feedback has been received from the public regarding its ease of use and increased access to information.
Staff within the Planning Service worked with the Global Mapping & Blue Fox (GM & BF) project team throughout the implementation of the project and found the GM & BF project team to be easy to communicate with. The service provided was customer focused and efficient. Where issues were encountered we were able to contact the GM & BF project team who were able to assist our staff, or took action to rectify the issue in a timely manner.
Opus 3 met all of the Councils requirements, and included other features and tools that were not required but are seen to add value to the end product (e.g. drawing tools) and deliver a better service to the public.
Document Authoring Console: The DAC!
We’re nearing completion of a new piece of software called the Document Authoring Console or DAC. The DAC is a fully featured authoring tool which will enable clients to write their documents directly in the Console and have them immediately web ready AND print ready or be able to export them in a suitable format into desktop publishing software like Adobe InDesign. Like all our software the DAC will be operated through a standard web browser which means it can be accessed from any computer. Coupled with features such as version control and a facility for multiple editors to work on one document the DAC will make document authoring and publishing a more efficient process.
Key features of the DAC include:
COMING SOON: screen shots and other stuff to whet your appetite
New website for Ride North Wales
We’ve just gone live this month (May 2012) with a new website promoting cycle routes in North Wales. Working with our partners Artychoke and VirtualASP we’ve delivered an interactive website with a heavy emphasis on the use of media such as photography and interactive mapping to attract cyclists to the area and to provide them with useful information about the key cycle routes and the local cycling scene. Our collaborative contribution also includes the development of an integrated Content Management System (CMS) so the website’s main sponsor, Denbighshire County Council, can update the website themselves. The CMS is already being updated to include a feature for local businesses to provide their details on the website, including the ability to make themselves a point of interest on the interactive mapping so users can see where the nearest B&Bs, cycle hire shops, cafes etc. are.
In addition to the website Artychoke are co-developing an app for the iPhone that will allow cyclists to select a route map and locate points of interest on and near the route. We’ll provide more information about the app once it’s up and running.
In the meantime you can see the new website by clicking on the logo below.
What is Anywhere Council?
Anywhere Council is the name we have given to our demonstration website. The website is a platform and a focal point for demonstrating our portfolio of hosted software services.
Anywhere Council will bring all our existing software products under one roof while the website also offers a branded and conceptualised showcase for highlighting what can be achieved using Drupal combined with our software in a corporate web setting.