MappApp
A working map-based tool for finding and reviewing surplus public-sector land across Hertfordshire. Already used internally for live site research.
- Scope
- Hertfordshire
- Built
- Internal mapping and property research tool
- Work
- Product design, mapping, data integration, workflow development
- Status
- Working internally, still developing
The data existed. Finding anything useful in it was the problem.
MappApp started with a practical question. How can surplus or underused council land be made easier to find and review for possible housing projects? The information was available, but it was spread across property lists, council records, spreadsheets and separate map searches. A row in a spreadsheet could describe a site without making its location or surroundings clear.
That made early research slower than it needed to be, and opportunities harder to spot, revisit and compare, especially when a search moved between authorities. MappApp puts that information into a map, laid out around the way the research is actually done. The first focus is Hertfordshire and land that may be worth investigating for modular housing and community-led development.
- Property lists, council records and spreadsheets, kept apart
- Sites described in rows, with no sense of where they sit
- Searches that started again at every council boundary
One map. One place to start the review.
The current version brings public-sector property records into an interactive map of Hertfordshire. Users can explore the data geographically, move between council and local-area views, narrow the records with filters, and open individual properties without losing sight of where they sit. It is not a static map or a mock-up. It is a working internal tool used for live research.
- 1Explore. See the property records in their geographic context instead of as rows in a spreadsheet.
- 2Narrow. Use council, town and location views to cut the dataset down to the areas that matter.
- 3Inspect. Open a property record and review the information attached to it.
- 4Export. Download the filtered records as a CSV when the work continues outside the map.
Built far enough to use. Early enough to keep shaping.
The map is where the investigation starts, not where it ends. It shows where records cluster and how a property relates to what is around it. Council views give a more focused way in, and filters cut the irrelevant data competing for attention. Once a possible site is found, it can be taken forward for proper research.
The product does not decide whether land is suitable for development. Planning constraints, ownership, access, cost and viability still need specialist work. Its direction comes from real searches and the friction that shows up in use, not from a feature list written in isolation.
What works today
- A map-led view of Hertfordshire
- Public-sector property records
- Council and local-area views
- Search and filtering
- Individual property information
- CSV export for further review
From setting filters to describing the site you need.
Conversational matching
Describe what you want, such as land of a certain size in St Albans. The system turns that into search criteria, confirms the important details, and returns the records that fit best.
Richer detail
More information on each property, and clearer comparison between candidate sites.
Wider coverage
More Hertfordshire authorities, and a smoother route from first discovery to detailed review.
Sitting on useful data that nobody has turned into a tool?
Internal products often start with information the organisation already owns, collects or keeps searching through. I can help turn that into a focused tool built around the people who use it, without forcing the workflow into a generic off-the-shelf platform.
Built by Lorenzo Bergonzi, LB Systems