HM Land Registry backs innovation and transparency with new data releases

HM Land Registry has today (28 July 2020) made available its authoritative data on Registered Leases and Restrictive Covenants across England and Wales.

This is part of its ongoing work to improve the availability and accessibility of its data. The datasets, which will be available through HM Land Registry’s new Use land and property data service, mark a big step in realising the wider economic potential in HM Land Registry’s data, while enabling innovation in property related industries.

The Registered Leases dataset catalogues all registered leases, providing a new level of insight on property ownership for buyers, valuations and planners. Restrictive Covenants data will provide upfront information to house buyers on some 17 million existing covenants affecting properties, across England and Wales.

Both datasets will be published under a range of licences through the newly developed online data hub hosting HM Land Registry’s full complement of available data with improved accessibility, electronic licencing, and full API integration. The licences include free-to-use terms for personal and research uses, a commercial licence for business use, and an ‘exploration licence’ tailored to foster the development of new and emerging products and services.

Dr. Andrew Trigg, Interim Director of Digital, Data and Technology at HM Land Registry’s comments:

We’re hugely excited to be in a position to launch these 2 datasets. We know that there’s appetite and utility for this information in property related industries and look forward to seeing how it can positively impact the conveyancing process. Beyond this, we’re intrigued to see what novel innovations find their way out of the UK’s burgeoning PropTech space to make their mark on our digital economy.

This release follows HM Land Registry’s recent announcement of its INSPIRE Polygon Data being made available under more open terms as part of the Geospatial Commission’s Public Sector Geospatial Agreement. The inclusion of Unique Property Reference Numbers (UPRNs) in the Registered Leases data, enabling cross-reference with other substantial property data, signifies the latest step in a cross-organisational collaborative approach to support the economy through land and property data.

More information on the Registered leases and Restrictive Covenants datasets, their licencing terms, and sample data can be found on HM Land Registry’s new data hub: Use land and property data.

HM Land Registry’s mission is to guarantee and protect property rights in England and Wales.

For more details on HM Land Registry’s work in digital and data, you can find a host of updates in its latest Annual Reports and Accounts (page 29).

HM Land Registry was created in 1862. It operates as a non-ministerial government department. Its ambition is to become the world’s leading land registry for speed, simplicity and an open approach to data.

HM Land Registry safeguards land and property ownership valued at £7 trillion, enabling more than £1 trillion worth of personal and commercial lending to be secured against property across England and Wales.

For further information about HM Land Registry visit www.gov.uk/land-registry, email HMLRPressOffice@landregistry.gov.uk or phone 0300 006 3365.

Burton flood defence project opens new concourse for public

Press release

A new concourse near the library in Burton has been opened for public use by the Environment Agency as part of the town’s £30 million flood defence project.

The concourse will enable better access to the library and nearby public walks to the River Trent.

Work on the project, which will significantly reduce the risk of flooding to 4,500 homes and 1,000 businesses from the River Trent, remains on target to be completed by next spring.

William Groves, a senior flood risk adviser at the Environment Agency, said:

We’re very pleased to open up the area around Burton upon Trent library so people can enjoy the new concourse.

The concourse has a new high quality granite finish and shows how other parts of the town will look when complete.

We do still have some work to complete nearby and grass needs to re-establish, so the whole area isn’t open for now.

Work to renew 3.7km of Burton’s flood defences remains on track to be completed by spring 2021 with many sections under construction and some sections completed.

Along with East Staffordshire Borough Council, we’ve worked to secure government funding to improve the public spaces in the town.

This will enable us to complete further improvements such as paving and creating a wetland and board walk next year.

Notes to editors

The work of the Environment Agency, and their contractors Galliford Try/Black & Veatch, will improve 3.7km of the 9km existing defences, and continues the work carried out in 2007 when other parts of the defences were improved.

The defences are being built to a consistent level.

The defences were first built after flooding in the 1930s and then expanded further in the 1960s after more flooding.

Published 28 July 2020

New Director of Infrastructure, Enterprise and Growth joins the IPA

News story

Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) appoints Jon Loveday as new Director of Infrastructure, Enterprise and Growth.

Jon Loveday, Director of Infrastructure, Enterprise and Growth

Today (28 July), Government continues to support it’s ambition for world-class project delivery with the appointment of a new Director of Infrastructure, Enterprise and Growth to the IPA.

Jon Loveday will start his role from early August, leading the team which lies at the heart of the government’s ambitious infrastructure agenda to level up and decarbonise the economy. The IPA supports the delivery of government’s major projects by helping to set them up for success and building delivery capability in departments with projects on the Government Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP).

With over 30 years experience in the infrastructure sector, Jon Loveday will now oversee the continuously evolving portfolio of the government’s most complex and high risk infrastructure projects. Jon has pioneered award winning collaborative models across complex global supply chains in water, telecoms and energy. Most recently Jon held the role of Chief Commercial Officer for the Clancy Group.

Nick Smallwood, IPA Chief Executive and Head of the Project Delivery Function, said:

“We must consistently deliver our major projects successfully to help rebuild our economy and transform our infrastructure.

“I’m pleased to welcome Jon to the IPA, who brings with him a wealth of experience from the infrastructure sector. I’m sure Jon will play a major role as we move forward supporting the government’s ambitious agenda.”

Jon Loveday, IPA Director of Infrastructure, Enterprise and Growth, said:

“I am delighted to be joining the IPA at such an important time. Our ability to deliver world leading infrastructure is at the heart of the UK government’s planned infrastructure revolution and we have a lead role to play in kick starting the economy.”

Further information

As the Executive Commercial & Transformation Director at Thames Water, Jon developed and led the multi-year alliance strategy across the infrastructure and technology programmes.
A Chartered Surveyor, Jon spent the early part of his career delivering major infrastructure projects, before going on to lead major businesses for two of the fastest growing infrastructure PLCs in the UK.
The Director of IEG will engage with some of the most important and challenging projects and programmes, including: HS2, Northern Powerhouse Rail, and the construction of new nuclear & nuclear decommissioning programme.

Published 28 July 2020

June 2020 Price Paid Data

News story

HM Land Registry Price Paid Data tracks land and property sales in England and Wales submitted to us for registration.

Hanging baskets either side of a white front door. — Image credit: Anton Clark

Please note, due to the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) on HM Land Registry operations the figures for June 2020 are not a complete picture and as such cannot be used as an accurate marker of market activity or the work undertaken by HM Land Registry in this time period.

We expect this to be rectified within the next couple of months. This release contains updates to the partial releases we made in April, May and June.

Access the full dataset

There is a time difference between the sale of a property and its registration at HM Land Registry.

In the dataset you can find the date of sale for each property, its full address and sale price, its category (residential or commercial) and type (detached, semi-detached, terraced, flat or maisonette and other), whether or not it is new build and whether it is freehold or leasehold.

Published 28 July 2020
Last updated 28 July 2020 + show all updates

28 July 2020
First published.

CMA open letter to the early years sector

Following analysis of the complaints received from various sources, the CMA has published an open letter and more detailed advice highlighting practices in the early years sector it considers unfair contrary to consumer law.

Whilst the CMA recognises that during the crisis most nurseries and daycare businesses are trying to do the right thing under unprecedented circumstances and pressures, at the same time consumers (parents) deserve to have their rights protected. This work is not meant to disrupt any agreements fairly and mutually agreed between parents and early years businesses, but is intended to provide clarity on how consumer law applies to COVID-19 disruptions.

The CMA is therefore asking providers to consider their contracts and arrangements with consumers and take any necessary steps to ensure they comply with the law.