With the withdrawal of OS OpenSpace taking place on 31 August 2021, the OS Data Hub and our new suite of location data APIs is the start of a new era for OS data access. Since launching the platform last summer, we have had over 10,000 users sign up. Many of these were using our previous APIs and are now benefitting from new features since migrating.
In this guest blog we are highlighting an excellent open-source project, the OS Data Hub Maps plugin for WordPress from Simon Large of Skirrid Systems. It offers access to our highly detailed maps (via the OS Maps API) and allows anyone to include OS Maps on their own WordPress website or blog. It offers a fantastic migration path for OS OpenSpace users.
As Skirrid Systems’ founder, Simon tells us more...
About the plugin
This plugin takes over where the previous plugin, OS OpenSpace Maps, left off. Ordnance Survey will be switching off the OS OpenSpace server having brought online the new OS Data Hub and its suite of APIs. The good news is that the OS Data Hub service is superior in every way. You now have access to the full 1:25,000 Explorer mapping as well as the 1:50,000 Landranger series. And the free allowances are a lot more generous, offering typically 2,000,000 map views per month.
WordPress plugin screenshot
The plugin has been rewritten too and now uses Leaflet.js to display the maps, giving a cleaner interface and a much more responsive feel. Other goodies include full screen view, colour markers and elevation profiles, one of our most requested features. The new plugin aims to take over seamlessly from the old one, allowing all your existing pages to display the same maps with minimal changes.
Some of the new features include:
*Full screen viewing option
*Elevation profiles from GPX data
*Better touch and mouse wheel support (similar to Google Maps)
*Ability to use both routes and markers on the same map
*Nine different marker colours available
*Option to restrict premium maps to logged-in users
Other feature enhancements are also planned to make the plugin more useful for users such as local authorities who can use it to share maps of their local boundaries.
Five-star reviews
The plugin has so far received seven 5-star reviews and some very positive comments:
“Absolutely marvelous! Clear documentation and works just as it says.”
“Thanks for an excellent plugin, Simon, and also for making the migration from OS OpenSource Maps a breeze...The new plugin and the new OS Data Hub API make for a clear improvement on the previous OpenSpace combo, and I thought that was good!”
“The plugin is really simple to use and it's great to have OS Maps embedded in your WordPress site. Most importantly, the plugin is really well supported and updated regularly.”
If you have a WordPress site, check out the plugin and discover more information via Skirrid Systems about how to easily integrate detailed OS mapping into your pages.
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