Settlements - Scotland
Settlements of Scotland are built-up areas which round to 500 people or more. Statistics produced from this geography can be used to help understand the demographics of local communities. National Records of Scotland (NRS), produces 2 datasets which are designed to show the boundaries of urban areas in Scotland: these datasets are Settlements and Localities. Further details on settlements and localities, including the methodology, can be found in the Special Area Population Estimates: Settlements and Localities section of the NRS website.
dataset
https://maps.gov.scot/server/services/NRS/NRS/MapServer/WMSServer?
protocol: OGC:WMS
name: SettlementBoundaries
description: OGC View Service
function: information
https://maps.gov.scot/server/services/NRS/NRS/MapServer/WFSServer?
protocol: OGC:WFS
name: NRS:SettlementBoundaries
description: OGC Feature Download
function: download
https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/files//geography/dataset/Settlements2020boundaries.zip
protocol: WWW:DOWNLOAD-1.0-http--download
name: Settlement Boundaries 2020
description: ESRI Shapefile Download
function: download
protocol: WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link
name: National Records of Scotland website
description: Geography – Settlements and Localities - ESRI Shapefiles
function: information
NRS_SettlementBdry
www.nrscotland.gov.uk
eng
boundaries
Statistical units
publication
2008-06-01
urban settlement
publication
2010-01-13
Boundaries
Urban communities
publication
2020-11-18
-8.80
-0.71
60.87
54.63
publication
2003-02-13
revision
2023-07-11
asNeeded
National Records of Scotland (NRS) create Settlement boundaries by categorising postcodes maintained in the Scottish Postcode Directory (SPD) as either high or low density. A postcode was defined as high density if at least one of the following applied: • It had more than 2.1 residential addresses per hectare; • It had more than 0.1 non-residential addresses per hectare; or • The estimate of the population per hectare exceeds five people The threshold densities were set as they were found to give a good approximation to the built-up areas identified in previous Censuses using traditional methods. The second condition was included such that non-residential parts (e.g. industrial estates) of built-up areas could be identified and included. An additional rule was implemented from the 2016 version, which stated that any postcodes which fell within the previous version Settlement boundary (based on centroid point in polygon assignment) would automatically be included in the new Settlement. The classified postcodes were then grouped into areas of neighbouring high density postcodes, or ‘Settlements’. Areas of low density postcodes completely surrounded by the high density areas (i.e. ‘holes’) were incorporated into the settlement. Population estimates for each area were then calculated, and any settlement with fewer than 500 residents was discarded. Lastly, Councils were consulted for their views on the proposed boundaries and, where possible, their suggestions were taken into account. The Settlement boundaries have been clipped to the high water mark coastline using OS BoundaryLine product. Inland water has also been removed as listed in the Standard Area Measurements (SAM) produced by the Office for National Statistics. The current Settlement boundaries (2020) have been created using the Scottish Postcode Directory 2020 release 2 boundaries. NRS create Settlement boundaries in conjunction with the Localities geography, normally every two years. Settlement and Locality boundaries are co-incidental, however, large settlements can be subdivided into two or more localities. Changes to the methodology and publication are consulted on through the Population and Migration Statistics Committee.
publication
2010-12-08
false
WMS
1.3.0
The following statements must be used when reproducing or using this material: Copyright National Records of Scotland, contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right (insert year).
Geography Branch
National Records of Scotland
General Register House, 2 Princes Street
Edinburgh
EH1 3YY
United Kingdom
geographycustomerservices@nrscotland.gov.uk
publisher
Geography Branch
National Records of Scotland
General Register House, 2 Princes Street
Edinburgh
EH1 3YY
United Kingdom
geographycustomerservices@nrscotland.gov.uk
pointOfContact
2023-07-11T12:14:09