Web Feature Service/ Web Coverage Service

I am primarily a desktop GIS user and I would be interested in seeing many of the Geographically-referenced datasets linked here pushed by a web feature service or web coverage service (OGC).

This would make discovery of the information I am looking for easier (as it will nearly always be related to a specific geographic area). It should (if implemented properly) also enable me to obtain a direct link to the most current dataset without having to keep manually redownloading the data every so often and convert to a format that I can use to link to a coverage locally.

Is this an idea that might be taken up at some point or does anyone else have a alternate idea of how this could be achieved?

I think what you are asking for is essentially what is specified in the INSPIRE directive, and the transposition to UK Law via the UK Location Programme. There is a link on this site discussing the relationship between UKLP and data.gov.uk

There are now a hole load of Web Map Services published on here, and I belive Web Feature Services will follow soon, for data inscope of INSPIRE.