How to Download Free LiDAR Data from UK Environment Agency

Access free high-resolution LiDAR point clouds, DTMs, and DSMs for England through the Environment Agency’s DEFRA Survey Data portal. Approximately 99% coverage with ±15cm RMSE vertical accuracy.

1

Navigate to environment.data.gov.uk/survey — the Environment Agency’s official survey data portal.

The portal features an interactive map showing data coverage across England, with tools for searching by location and selecting data products.

No registration required — you can browse and download data immediately.

Click the “Layers” button in the green toolbar to see all available data categories:

• LIDAR Composite Catalogues — Combined DTM/DSM products
• LIDAR Point Cloud Catalogues — Raw LAZ point clouds
• LIDAR DTM Time Stamped — Historical terrain models
• LIDAR DSM Time Stamped — Historical surface models
• National LIDAR Programme — Latest survey data

Toggle layers on/off to see coverage on the map.

3

Expand a category (e.g., “LIDAR Composite Catalogues”) to see available resolutions:

Available Resolutions:

• 1m — Higher detail for precise analysis
• 2m — Broader coverage, smaller file sizes

Note: 25cm and 50cm resolution data has been withdrawn from the portal. Only 1m and 2m resolution is currently available.

Check the box next to your desired product to enable it on the map.

Click the “Download” button, then use the polygon tools to select your area:

1. Click “Draw Polygon” to start
2. Click on the map to create polygon vertices
3. Double-click to complete the polygon
4. Use “Delete Polygon” to start over if needed

Alternatively, you can upload a shapefile to define your area using the dropdown selector.

5

After drawing your polygon, click “Get available tiles” to see what’s available in your area. Select the tiles you want, then download them directly — no account required!

File formats: Point clouds are in LAZ format. DTM/DSM are available as ASCII Grid (.asc) or GeoTIFF (.tif). All data uses British National Grid (OSGB36, EPSG:27700).

Start with Composite Data

The LIDAR Composite products are merged from multiple surveys and provide the most complete coverage. Use these unless you need time-specific data.

Use LAZ Format

LAZ files are 5-10x smaller than LAS with no data loss. Most modern software supports LAZ directly, including QGIS and CloudCompare.

Learn the Grid System

Data uses British National Grid references (e.g., TQ3080). Each tile covers 1km × 1km. Familiarize yourself with OS Grid references for efficient navigation.

Check Survey Dates

Data is collected over time for flood risk management. Time-stamped products include survey dates in the metadata — useful if you need data from a specific period.