Land referencing & property research

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Gateley Hamer

When delivering any development, it is critical to have reliable and thorough information on ownership, occupation and rights over the land that is subject to development. 

Property research and land referencing is the process of identifying people and organisations that have a legal interest in property or land. This can be required for general land investigations as well as various proposed developments including regeneration, highways and infrastructure schemes, including those requiring Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPO) and Development Consent Orders (DCO). This information can be provided in various forms of schedules including a document known as The Book of Reference. Any developer – whether in the public or private sector – needs to trust that the information included as part of their application is accurate and reliable; that is where we come in.

What do we do?

Our team manages all aspects of land referencing and property research through all required statutory processes: from feasibility studies of regeneration through to the delivery of a client’s scheme.
 

Jennifer Batson and her team have worked incredibly hard on what has been a complex process, demonstrating flexibility and expert problem solving at all stages. They have done a superb job to date
Kelly Shirley, Policy, Service Development & Partnerships Officer, Royal Borough of Kingston 2019

The services that we can provide include:

  • producing schedules and plans for land referencing, CPOs and DCOs
  • creating Books of Reference for each development
  • providing accurate and bespoke plans using geographic information systems (GIS), including in-house computer-aided design (CAD)
  • conducting site inspections
  • undertaking third-party investigations
  • statutory requisitions and questionnaires
  • personal service of all statutory process documentation, including proof of all service of notices and receipts, reports and certificates 
  • site notices and maintenance
  • further stages of CPOs and DCOs, where necessary, including but not limited to updating information, and providing assistance and service for confirmation, notice to treat and enter, and general vesting declaration processes 
  • providing documentation accompanying legislative documentation
  • resident ballot verifications for councils.

Who do we help?

We advise Government agencies, local authorities and private organisations.

Got a question? Get in touch.