HM Land Registry (HMLR) and Ordnance Survey (OS) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to enhance data accessibility across England and Wales’ property market over the next three years.
The partnership aims to improve connectivity between land ownership records and geospatial data, supporting the government’s target to deliver 1.5 million new homes across England during the current parliament.
Market implications
The collaboration could reduce transaction friction in a property market valued at nearly £9 trillion in England and Wales, representing over half of the nation’s wealth. Annual property sales in the UK exceed £360 billion, with approximately £1.66 trillion of lending secured against residential and commercial assets.
OS currently provides data used by over 4,500 HMLR caseworkers daily to maintain the Title Register and visualise general boundaries on Land Registry Title Plans. The organisation tracks new housing developments and surveys building footprints for registration purposes.
The agreement forms part of HMLR’s Strategy 2025+ initiative, which commits to making property services faster and more efficient. The move comes as technology increasingly shapes property market operations, with data accessibility becoming central to transaction processes.
Digital transformation
Lynne Nicholson, deputy director for data and head of data group at HMLR, said the organisation plans to transition from traditional record keeping to actively supporting economic growth across the housing sector.
Tina Kennedy, chief customer officer at OS, stated that a more efficient property market helps people move home more easily and supports development and investment. She noted that OS data has been integral to the land registration process and the collaboration would improve data accessibility across government departments.
The partnership also aims to support environmental planning, reduce fraud in duplicating property titles, and enable property insurance risk assessment based on geographical distribution and ownership portfolios.
Sector context
The initiative arrives as the UK property market faces ongoing uncertainty, with HMLR having maintained official land ownership records in England and Wales for over 160 years.
The data sharing agreement between the two organisations supports broader government plans for community regeneration alongside new housing delivery. Both HMLR and OS have stated their aim to unlock value from land and location data through improved digital connectivity over the three-year partnership period.
