Full Breakdown
Government Plans to Open England’s Land Registry Face Landowner Pushback
By Drooid · · How we work
Proposed Free Access to the Land Registry
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has announced proposals to lift the paywall on the Land Registry, allowing public-sector bodies to retrieve ownership data at no cost. The change would create a free dataset covering the majority of land in England and Wales—excluding ordinary homeowners—and could also grant investigators and civil-society groups access to more sensitive information when a clear public interest is demonstrated. The proposals are now open for an eight-week public consultation.
Government Rationale
“We are improving access to the Land Registry’s database to help fill in the gaps on who really owns land in England – with at least 10% currently unknown. By driving up land transparency we can make smarter decisions on building the homes and infrastructure we need, while delivering a crucial win-win for the economy and nature.” — government spokesperson The stated aim is to enable councils and other agencies to identify sites for new homes, schools, hospitals, environmental projects, water infrastructure and public transport, thereby supporting both economic growth and nature recovery.
Landowner Concerns and Opposition
“Making more personal information public could leave families vulnerable to fraud and other risks, especially as AI makes it easier to steal and misuse people’s identities,” — Gavin Lane, president of the Country Land and Business Association He argued that transparency must be balanced against privacy, security and safety considerations. Campaigners such as Guy Shrubsole, author of *Who Owns England?*, contend that the historic secrecy surrounding land ownership could finally end—provided the public engages with the consultation. “Centuries of secrecy over who owns our land might finally be coming to an end – but only if enough members of the public respond to this consultation.” — Guy Shrubsole, author of
Potential Impact of the Consultation
If the consultation yields strong public support, the free dataset could help planners make more efficient use of each hectare for housing, infrastructure, food production and ecological restoration. Conversely, organized resistance from large landowners may lead to amendments that limit the scope of data released, preserving existing opacity. The outcome will shape how readily authorities can address England’s constrained land supply while balancing privacy concerns.