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July 24, 2023

Torus gains clear and compelling insights with Cloud GIS and web mapping

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Beyond property to a deeper understanding of customer and neighbourhood – Case study

For social landlord, Torus, the drive for a stronger community required a deeper understanding of the challenges at neighbourhood level. Where opportunities were presented, making the biggest positive difference was paramount.

Clear and compelling insights were needed to create fluid officer patches, prioritise stock improvements and target critical social interventions. Their Developments team’s need was based not solely on the availability of land but on the promise of ‘place’. Modelling required predictive analytics techniques and a GIS that could verify and showcase the research to a wide audience via web maps.

“GIS is fundamental to the operations of the Torus Group. Delivering clear and accurate location intelligence is essential to our everyday decision-making process.”

David Gerwitz, Asset Planning and Data Manager, Torus

To eliminate the need for costly internal ICT infrastructure, Torus selected Cadcorp SIS Desktop and Cadcorp SIS WebMap in the cloud. Torus created a GIS SharePoint page where staff can access, amongst many others, thematic maps showing the locations of embedded assets, growth potential, and crime hotspots. These maps were combined into an overall index of vitality. Local Knowledge™ provides context by presenting a breakdown of age groups, bedrooms, tenure, crime rates, unemployment, and a score on how a property is performing.

Torus customers and staff can now access maps and information easily via the internet. The ease of managing SIS WebMap has encouraged non-technical staff to progress their own projects, freeing up GIS technicians to concentrate on more complex work. Future projects, including the understanding of ‘place’ before and during investment, the propensity for properties and tenants to fall into risk, customer segmentation, and the profiling of new neighbourhood patches, will rely on the powerful spatial insights of GIS.

“Cadcorp demonstrated an understanding of our values and the capacity to work with us to provide a quality, consistent service, and deliver GIS software and web mapping that meets the needs of our organisation.”

David Gerwitz, Asset Planning and Data Manager, Torus

Housing associations and land and property organisations are realising the benefits of GIS for all phases of asset management and maintenance. These can range from negotiating grounds maintenance contracts to ensuring the sustainability of stock performance and planning improvements in the community. To learn more, see here.

About Torus

Torus is one of the North West’s largest social landlords. Rooted in Liverpool, St Helens and Warrington – and active across 11 local authority areas – the Group manages 40,000 homes, serves 75,000 customers and employs some 1,500 staff.

An active developer of affordable homes for North West communities, Torus aims to build 5,600 new homes by 2026, a development programme worth in the region of £1bn.

Underpinning everything is the drive to create and grow stronger communities.