Search by reference

[colmjude]

It would be great to be able to search across all the entities using a reference. We try to use the most applicable reference/id from data we collect as the reference field of the entity. Therefore, it would be helpful to be able to search using this attribute that people may know.

For example:

• searching for a listed building by its listing number
• or an LPA searching for their conservation area using the reference they have given it
• or in the future, search for a planning application using the common reference used by the planning authority.

Doing this would simplify part of our workflow.

[colmjude]

Results of any search by reference would need to be able to return multiple entities because reference does not need to be unique across the a) the whole platform, or b) even the dataset.

We only ask that organisations do not reuse the same reference for multiple records in their datasets.

For example, it is okay for Lambeth to use CA1 and Camden to use CA1 for one of their conservation areas. But it would not be okay for Camden to use CA1 for 2 of their Conservation areas.

Here is a real example of 4 organisations using the reference 1 for a TPO.

[RichLimbrick]

Is entity always a truly unique reference across all LPA datasets? If so, can that only be assigned by DCLG Digital Planning?

Because having the ability to link the tables is extremely useful to LPAs - and we could do this via our reference too (as per the discussion on entities for linked records), but to use entity would need DCLG to add the entity ref and publish the datasets on their platform before we could use them. That's not necessarily a problem but we'd need to know if that's a dependency for us.

[psd]

Hi Rich, yes, we (MHCLG) assign and manage the entity numbers and we look the reference value found in the data we've collected to an entity number.

We ask for a the LPA to include a reference for linking, that can be whatever you find convenient, and can be unique within Camden's data, so CA01 will be matched and linked to Camden's first conservation area, not say Lambeth's CA01:

https://datasette.planning.data.gov.uk/conservation-area/entity?_sort=entity&reference__exact=CA01