HM Land Registry (HMLR) and Ordnance Survey (OS) have announced a new collaboration intended to enhance data accessibility and innovation within the housing and geospatial sectors. The two organisations have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to help shape a more digitally enabled property market over the next three years.
HMLR, which has maintained official land ownership records in England and Wales for over 160 years, aims to make its data more accessible and connect it with other property market data. This initiative is part of HMLR's ongoing digital transformation journey, following its Strategy 2025+ launched last year.
OS data is currently used by over 4,500 caseworkers daily to maintain the Title (Land) Register and visualise general boundaries on Land Registry Title Plans. Tina Kennedy, chief customer officer at OS, stated that a more efficient property market is vital to the UK economy, supporting home moves, development, investment, and underpinning significant assets.
Lynne Nicholson, deputy director for data at HMLR, noted plans to transition from traditional record keeping to actively fuelling economic growth and unlocking new opportunities in the housing sector. The collaboration also supports the 2024-2026 government's strategic plan for delivering 1.5 million new homes across England.