Exciting mapping technology is being used by the Project Team to inform and further develop emerging plans and proposals associated with the redevelopment of Daedalus.

In the past, developers have used more traditional 2D plans and models to help people visualise how an area looks now - or might look in the future. Whilst plans, photo montages and artist's impressions may help to bring a scheme to life, it can be difficult to show all the detail. As a result, 3D models are becoming more commonly used. They are more flexible as they can allow people to view the site from a number of different angles and to understand more clearly how building heights might impact them or what the whole building might look like.

The Project Team has used GIS and 3D modelling throughout the development process so far to help people understand what Daedalus looks like at the moment as well as how it could look in the future. We have also used this technology to help record feedback we have received at consultation events. In July 2007, interactive maps which enabled people to record comments about specific buildings or places on a map were available as part of the Phase 2 consultation in July 2007, as well as at the Exhibition which presented the principles of the Visionary Framework in December 2008.

On Virtual Daedalus you can access Google Earth to see what Daedalus looks like at the moment as well as take the opportunity to view a flythrough of the existing site. You can also view the 3D computer model displayed at the Exhibition in December 2008 which showed what the waterfront site could look like in the future.

We would like to give special thanks to the Environment Agency and the VEPs Project which is partially funded by European Regional Development Funding through INTERREG IIIBNWE Community Initiative, for the use of data and models which have allowed the work on Virtual Daedalus to be possible.