Supplementary Data, SPLs and Supplementary Plans

General

Scanned supplementary plans (commonly known as supp plans) and plotted SPL index entries were regularly assigned to titles that were registered under the 1979 Act, and were both referred to in the title sheet as supplementary plans to the title plan. They were used to show detail or references to areas of land which, for reasons of scale, size or complexity, could not conveniently be shown on the title plan.

In more recent years, there have been two key changes to this practice.

Firstly, under the 2012 Act there can be no registration without mapping, and in order to complete registration, the Keeper must create a cadastral unit on the cadastral map for the plot of land being registered. All plots, whether they are owned exclusively or in common with other owners, and most rights and encumbrances affecting those plots, must be shown on the cadastral map. Therefore, apart from some exceptions noted below and covered in more depth in the Groupings page, the practice of using of scanned supplementary plans or plotted SPLs was considerably reduced with 2012 Act applications for registration. The terminology changed at this time too, with the title sheets for 2012 Act titles initially referring to supplementary data to the title sheet, and now referring simply to supplementary data.

Secondly and more recently, the move from mapping on the DMS to mapping on the Plan Creator has changed the way we create supplementary data - the Groupings functionality has replaced the creation of new plotted SPL index entries.

Useful Links

Groupings (including mapping using additional layers of the cadastral map)

How to Assign Scanned Supplementary Images to applications

Known issues with Scanned Supplementary Images

Updating DMS titles on the Plan Creator

When a title and its groupings are approved, the pdf versions of the separate grouped layer(s) can be viewed or printed.

In November 2022 there has been an IT system development which has allowed the header of the pdf prints to be updated and to remove the previous inconsistency between the prints and the terminology used in the title sheet. The header now shown on pdf prints for groupings is Additional Cadastral Map View / Supplementary Data. This new dual header is designed to cover the two scenarios of Groupings use.

Plan Creator & Supplementary Data

1 Creating new supplementary data

Within the Plan Creator, it is not possible to create an SPL index entry - instead, the Groupings functionality allows plans references to be placed on additional layers (or views) of the cadastral map. The Further Guidance page on Groupings provides full details of when it is appropriate to use a grouping to create a separate layer containing supplementary data.

The 2 main uses are:

Mapping tenements
Mapping leases in tenements

2 Creating new additional layers of the cadastral map

Within the Plan Creator, the new Groupings functionality allows plans references to be placed on additional layers (or views) of the cadastral map, and gives us more flexibility in the way our mapped title data is displayed. The Further Guidance page on Groupings provides more detail of when it is appropriate to use a grouping to create an additional layer of the cadastral map.

The 3 main uses are:

Multi-part plans (replacing the DMS practice of setting up multi part prints for very large or fragmented titles)
Pends
Very complex titles that will benefit from showing detail on two or more separate layers of the cadastral map

3 Assigning existing SPLs to new or updated titles

When it is necessary to copy forward detail from an existing SPL index entry into a new title in the Plan Creator, consideration should be given to whether to incorporate that plotted detail into the primary ungrouped layer of the cadastral map, or whether to put it on a separate grouped layer.

Sometimes it is necessary to update a previously registered title that had SPL index entries assigned to it in the DMS. When an application over such a title is opened in the Plan Creator, the plans references from each SPL will automatically be added in a separate grouping. Consideration should be given to whether to incorporate that plotted detail into the primary ungrouped layer of the cadastral map, or whether to retain it on a separate grouped layer.

In both of these scenarios, depending on the decision made, appropriate notes should be added on the LRS to the legal settler advising any change to the mapping style and how the references on the former SPL are now represented on the cadastral map/grouping (for example, "the area shown tinted blue on supplementary plan-1 has been tinted blue on additional cadastral map view 1" or "the area formerly shown tinted blue on supplementary plan-1 has been tinted brown on the cadastral map").

Remember, all the plans references from an existing SPL index entry will need to be classified before you can approve your application.

Also, it may be necessary to have the RA or parent title instructions updated to reflect any changes made to the use of existing plotted SPLs.

4 Assigning existing scanned supp plans as supplementary data to new or updated titles

Although new scanned images are no longer created, there are a limited number of scenarios where existing scanned images may still need to be assigned to new titles or retained in updated titles -

The subjects form part of a Research Area (RA) and there is an instruction to assign a scanned image from a registered title.
The title requires references from a common deed that have already been shown on a scanned image assigned to another registered title (for example, a parent title).

Process pages have been created detailing the steps to follow to assign an existing scanned image to a current application and these can be found at Assigning Scanned Supplementary Images in the Plan Creator.

In addition, a useful checklist has been created to help you decide if it is appropriate to retain & assign the scanned image, or whether it is preferable to transfer the references from the scanned image onto the cadastral map.

Checklist

Checklist - plotting from or retaining a scanned supplementary plan?

A. Check the index layer to see if the detail shown on the scanned image has already been plotted onto the cadastral map in another title? If it has, this plotting could be copied through to your title rather than assigning the scanned supplementary plan.

B. Are all references shown on the scanned image and referred to in the text clearly identifiable and plottable onto the cadastral map? If they are, then it may be appropriate to plot the references on the cadastral map rather than assigning the scanned supplementary plan, however see C, D & E below before final decision is made.

C. Has the development been built as shown on the scanned image? In other words, do the extents of the references on the scanned image agree with the as-built features? It is often the case that developments are built differently on the ground. If they do not agree then retain the scanned supplementary plan as it is not expedient at this time to investigate and resolve these issues for all affected titles.

D. Does the extent of any common area on the scanned supplementary plan overlap the extent of a registered title(s)? If there is any overlap, it is not expedient at this time to investigate and resolve these issues for all affected titles so retain the scanned supplementary plan.

E. How complex and time consuming will it be to plot the references from the scanned image onto the cadastral map? Remember that the plan can be referred to QGIS experts to plot the image onto the OS map to assist you with this.

If you are still unsure whether to plot references or retain a scanned supplementary plan, refer to a Plans Senior Advisor for guidance.

Also, it may be necessary to have the RA or parent title instructions updated to reflect any changes made to the use of existing scanned supplementary plans.