The underlying geographic information system (GIS) infrastructure of the Landfolio cadastre project consisted of large scale and highly accurate digital orthophotos, planimetric maps and parcel maps. All of these layers were created in a topologically structured environment that enables the Government of Antigua and Barbuda to perform sophisticated database analyses in support of land registry, land development and planning activities. Trimble’s Landfolio team used new aerial photography and the constellation of geographic positioning system (GPS) satellites to produce all mapping products in conformance with the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS) and British Ordnance Survey map accuracy standards.
Using Landfolio, the team improved national management in the areas of land registry, land cadastre and real property tax management; established legal, accurate, and transparent land and property records to provide a foundation for foreign investment; provided a web portal for access to real estate information within each Eastern Caribbean nation and throughout the region. The Antigua and Barbuda project encompassed an estimated 57,000 land parcels in Antigua and a small number of land parcels in Barbuda. The results of this pilot effort were phased in over a one-year period and included:
- An integrated property information management system that improved accuracy of property ownership and GIS data layers
- Reduced time to register a land transaction to two days or less
- Improved customer service
- Increased revenue from fee collections while decreasing the cost to the citizens of Antigua and Barbuda.