Landowners could scupper free Land Registry access plans, campaigners warn

Proposed lifting of paywall would reveal who owns vast majority of land in England and Wales

Plans by the government to give the public free access for the first time to information on who owns England’s land are at risk of being scuppered by landowners, campaigners have said.

On Tuesday the government set out its proposals to lift the paywall on the Land Registry, arguing that opening it would help the UK build more houses, protect nature and improve strategic planning. The plans will be open to public consultation for eight weeks.