A MAJOR photographic survey mapping North Yorkshire from the sky could soon provide planners with a bird's eye view of the county.

The county council is exploring the scope for a county-wide aerial survey, which would provide a snapshot of land use, landscape and settlement patterns in the year.

Bidding to lower the costs of the scheme, the authority hopes to create a consortium with the various district councils.

Hambleton councillors are being urged to back the proposal with financial support either this year or next.

The district's director of planning, Steve Quartermain, said the proposal came at a time when the Government was placing an increased emphasis on the electronic delivery of services, as well as on the monitoring of plans and data.

"This means that our baseline data from which policies and programmed are derived must be as complete and up-to-date as possible," he said.

"The next national population census will take place in April. This will give baseline data for population numbers and distribution, and will also provide a wealth of social and economic data.

"The photographic survey of the district will provide a baseline at 2001 for land use and development, and, taken together, the two sets will provide a comprehensive baseline for a range of council work."

An incomplete air survey of Hambleton exists from 1971, and by scanning those photographs beside the new survey the rate of change can be assessed.

"The loss of farmland to development, the loss of particular landscape features, such as hedges, and the extent of landscape change can be measured and analysed," said Mr Quartermain.

"Photography of urban areas will assist in the identification and measuring of vacant, derelict and underused land."

The plan is for the survey to be in colour, on a 1:10,000 scale.

The photographs would be of such a high resolution that small features on the ground could be identified