HM Land Registry (HMLR) and Ordnance Survey (OS) have agreed a three-year collaboration intended to create a more connected and digitally enabled property market.
The organisations have signed a memorandum of understanding covering data accessibility, distribution and the development of shared standards.
The initiative aims to reduce friction within property transactions by improving how trusted land, ownership and location data is accessed and connected across government and the housing industry.
For mortgage lenders, brokers and other property professionals, better-connected data could support quicker verification, reduce duplication and provide greater certainty around properties used as security.
CONNECTING PROPERTY DATA
HMLR maintains the official record of land ownership in England and Wales, while OS tracks developments and surveys building footprints.
More than 4,500 HMLR caseworkers use OS data each day to maintain the Title Register and show general boundaries on title plans.
The collaboration will align HMLR’s geospatial transformation programme with the OS National Geographic Database and product roadmap.
It will also explore distributing HMLR information through the OS Data Hub and establish shared approaches covering licensing, compliance and the commercial reuse of public-sector data.
HMLR said the agreement formed part of its Strategy 2025+ programme, through which it intends to move beyond traditional record keeping and make property services faster and less stressful.
£1.66TN SECURED LENDING MARKET
Property in England and Wales is valued at almost £9tn, with approximately £1.66tn of lending secured against it. Annual UK property sales exceed £360bn.
HMLR and OS said more accessible data could also support development, environmental planning, fraud prevention and the assessment of insurance risks across property portfolios.
Tina Kennedy, chief customer officer at Ordnance Survey, said: “A more efficient property market is vital to the UK economy. It helps people move home more easily, supports development and investment, and underpins one of the most significant assets many people own.”
Lynne Nicholson, deputy director for data and head of data group at HM Land Registry, added: “We have exciting plans to transition from traditional record keeping to actively fuelling economic growth and unlocking new opportunities across the housing sector.
“I am looking forward to working closely with Ordnance Survey colleagues to share insights and ideas and build a shared vision for trusted data that will make a real difference for all of our customers.”
