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Target Search helps you narrow a large area down to the places that fit what you are looking for.

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Choose the search area

  1. Open Target Search from the main navigation.
  2. Select New search.
  3. Open Area type.
  4. Choose Local authority districts, Counties or Draw polygon.
  5. Select the areas you want to include, or draw and finish your polygon on the map.
Area type menu showing Local authority districts, Counties and Draw polygon. PICSy creates the search when you choose its first area. It saves changes automatically as you work, and you can rename it from the title at any time.
On a smaller screen, open Area settings to find the area controls.

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Find matching hexes

Open Search Hexes, then:
  1. Choose the catchment type and range used to calculate each hex.
  2. Choose a primary metric.
  3. Add a secondary metric if you want to compare two measures at once.
  4. Adjust the thresholds to filter the results.
Search Hexes panel with catchment range, two selected metrics and threshold sliders. The map and results update as you make changes. You do not need to run the search again. Set a threshold to Any when you do not want it to filter the results. If you select two metrics, PICSy uses a blended map. The darker hexes score higher across both measures.

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Review nearby records

Use the tabs below the map to explore records inside the search area:
  • Carehomes shows care homes and their available filters.
  • Planning shows planning records and their available filters.
  • Land Parcels lets you narrow parcels by area.
Select a row to open its details. The filters in these tabs do not change the matching hexes. Your area, filters and map style save automatically. Open Target Search from the main navigation to see your saved searches and reopen one.

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Export the results

Select Download CSV to export the built-up areas that match the current search area and hex criteria. Next, learn how to use the directories.