Beacon Dodsworth developed a postcode checker for the GOWM website, which uses an interactive web based mapping system to identify where EU funding is available in the West Midlands.

The site was set up to allow those in the West Midlands to check the availability and eligibility by area of £500m of Objective 2 European Structural Funds, set up to help reduce the differences in living standards between the regions of the EU. The user can enter a postcode to check its eligibility, and view a map of each property in that postcode. Also available to view are a hierarchy of maps to identify development sites and other features without a postcode, such as canal bridges, that also qualify for funding. The maps are all interactive, allowing the viewer to zoom in and out, and to overlay markings to clearly show eligible areas.

An innovative aspect of the site is the ability to identify split postcodes. A particular postcode area may be partly in and partly out of one of the areas eligible for funding, and the site demonstrates this feature, which has not been available anywhere else before. An example is ST4 4AU, where one half of Corporation Street is eligible, whilst the other is not. When the postcode is inputted, the user is asked to select an address, to determine eligibility.

Simon Perry, Commercial Director of Beacon Dodsworth said, “Beacon Dodsworth and the Government Office for the West Midlands have come together to create a site that will allow those who live in the West Midlands to check if they qualify for this vital funding. The website shows what innovative solutions can be achieved with web based mapping software.”

Chris Marsh, Director of the Europe Division for the Government Office for the West Midlands said, “Beacon Dodsworth’s mapping solution has allowed us to provide an accessible, user friendly and reliable system for the people of the West Midlands. This interactive mapping application is making a valuable contribution to the regeneration of the area by enabling users to check the eligibility of their projects for Objective 2 funding.”

Due to the Pan-government agreement with the Ordnance Survey, which makes available the broad range of data needed to map the area, free at the point of use, Beacon Dodsworth were able to utilise high quality data, whilst also bringing down the cost of the project. The site uses the OS products, Address-Point (to give the location and postal address of every property in the West Midlands) and Boundary-Line (to give the local authority and ward boundaries), as well as Miniscale (to provide uncluttered backdrop mapping) and 1:10,000 scale raster, 1:25,000 scale raster, 1:50,000 scale raster and 1:250,000 scale raster maps.

For more information about the GOWM website visit
www.beacon-dodsworth.co.uk/gowm.html