Whether it is done stealthily or completely unintentionally, it is not uncommon for people and businesses to encroach on public land.  Homeowners have been known to incorporate public land into their gardens, while businesses will sometimes start using space near their premises for parking or storing equipment.  The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) is one of the largest landowners in Northern Ireland, and it is the responsibility of the Lands Branch to identify and evidence land encroachment.  Incidents of land encroachment are usually remedied by selling DfI land or, sometimes, by taking action to reaffirm public ownership.  

Previously, as part of the investigation process, DfI often needed to request historical aerial photography from Ordnance Survey Northern Ireland (OSNI).  There was a charge for each image requested, plus a wait of up to four days for the required images to be delivered, which added to the cost and time of each case.

£3.1 million in value to the Department
The ArcGIS web app is now used routinely by around ten people to examine up to 40 potential cases of land encroachment per working day.  Although it is difficult to quantify, as each case is different, considering the time saved, decisions made and reduction in aerial images requested, DfI estimates that the ArcGIS web app delivers £3.1 million in value to the Department each year.   

Cost savings from fewer court cases
The evidence collected using TOVA enables the Lands Branch to have constructive conversations with people who have encroached on public land and helps to avoid unnecessary and costly court cases.  As Lois Allister, Lands Branch, explains, “We always hope that cases won’t reach court and we will be able to come to an agreed settlement.  If we do reach agreement, it will be in a large part because of the aerial views, which will then save the Department thousands of pounds in legal costs.  When we do go to court, our case will often rest on the aerial views. I worked in litigation for 10 years and know from experience that a photo speaks a thousand words to a judge and everyone involved.”

Cost savings from faster decision making
Having immediate access to aerial imagery allows DfI to carry out more thorough investigations and make decisions more quickly.  Consequently, DfI makes a considerable saving in staff costs and can process more land sales, bringing in much needed revenue.  “The number of cases that the Department for Infrastructure can investigate has at least doubled,” Neeson estimates.  

Cost savings from efficient claims process
TOVA is now being used not only for land encroachment but also for assessing compensation claims from landowners when DfI acquires land for road schemes.  “The ArcGIS app allows the Department for Infrastructure to ascertain whether claims are valid and can save the Department thousands if not millions of pounds,” explains Allister.  “The more efficient use of staff time enables the Department to increase revenue and reduce expenditure.”

Improved understanding of land assets
Having easy access to orthophotography, on demand, has given everyone in the Lands Branch improved understanding of publicly-owned land and potential revenue opportunities.  “It helps to provide a full picture of what we are dealing with, such as identifying if there could be potential purchasers,” Allister says.  “ArcGIS allows us to build up a better picture of the land and property we are dealing with over time.”