When development happens, someone needs to pay for the roads, schools, parks and services that help an area cope with growth. That’s where the Community Infrastructure Levy comes in

They are a tool used by many local authorities to collect a standardised financial contribution from developers.

Here, in a nice, tea break-sized blog, is all you need to know:

So, what exactly is a Community Infrastructure Levy?

CIL is a fixed, non‑negotiable charge set by a local authority and applied to certain types of new development. Unlike Section 106 contributions (which are negotiated case‑by‑case), CIL uses a published charging schedule so everyone knows upfront what’s expected.

It only applies in areas where the council has formally adopted it, so while some parts of the country use CIL routinely, others rely more heavily on s106 agreements.

When does CIL apply?

CIL liability is triggered by development, usually measured by new floorspace (typically over 100m² unless it’s a new dwelling). Once planning permission is granted, the developer must:

  • Assume liability
  • Submit a Commencement Notice
  • Pay according to instalments in the authority’s policy

Missing any of these steps can result in surcharges… something conveyancers are keen to avoid.

CIL vs Section 106: what’s the difference?

This is a question conveyancers hear weekly. The short version:

  • CIL = fixed charge, set out in the charging schedule
  • s106 = negotiated obligations, often tied to site‑specific impacts (e.g., affordable housing, open space mitigation)

Importantly, both can apply to the same development. CIL doesn’t replace s106, it simply reduces the need to negotiate everyday infrastructure costs.

Why it matters in conveyancing

If CIL liability exists, it binds the land, not the person who created it. This means buyers could inherit unpaid CIL unless paperwork is watertight.

Conveyancers should always check:

  • CIL liability notice
  • Assumption of liability
  • Any surcharges
  • Whether commencement was properly notified

CIL keeps infrastructure funding predictable and transparent – great for planning, but absolutely essential to get right during due diligence. A quick CIL review won’t just prevent expensive surprises later; it also protects your client from inheriting someone else’s liability, avoids last‑minute delays, and helps clarify the development history attached to the property.

In practice, checking CIL is one of those small steps that gives everyone – buyers, lenders and solicitors – real peace of mind. When the numbers add up, the notices line up, and the paperwork shows a clean trail, the whole transaction moves more smoothly. And when something doesn’t look right, spotting it early is the difference between a minor correction and a major headache.

In short: treat CIL like an early‑warning light on the dashboard – quick to check, invaluable when it’s flashing, and best handled before the journey goes any further.

When you’re moving through a property transaction, Local Land Charges (LLCs) sit quietly in the background… but they’re doing a lot of heavy lifting.

They protect buyers, inform lenders, and ensure no one inherits an unexpected restriction or liability. And now, with HM Land Registry’s digital migration well underway, the way we access and understand these charges is changing for the better.

Here’s a clear, friendly, five‑minute guide to help newer faces to conveyancing explain the essentials.

What are Local Land Charges?

Local Land Charges are restrictions, obligations or prohibitions that are tied to land or property and automatically pass to each new owner. They’re created by public bodies using statutory powers and must be registered so that buyers are informed before committing to a purchase.

Classic examples include:

If it limits how the land can be used – or ensures someone pays what they owe – it’s probably a land charge.

LLC1 vs CON29: clearing up any confusion

Buyers often mix these up, so here’s the easy explanation:

  • LLC1 reveals everything held on the Local Land Charges Register – the legally binding charges.
  • CON29 covers local authority enquiries about things not held on that register, such as road schemes, planning history, or building control.

Together, they form the ‘full search’, but they serve very different purposes.

What’s in the Local Land Charges Register?

LLCs are grouped into Parts 1–12, covering everything from financial charges (like CIL) to planning designations, environmental protections, historic buildings, aviation restrictions, compensation schemes and more.

Some charges are mapped in spatial datasets. Others exist only as text entries. Many are highly technical, but the purpose is always the same: to alert the buyer to something important before they exchange.

The HMLR Digital Migration; what’s changing?

Since 2018, Local Land Charges registers have been gradually transferring from individual councils to HM Land Registry’s national digital service. Not every authority has migrated yet, but the end goal is a centralised, standardised, instantly searchable dataset.

The benefits are big:

  • One national search portal, instead of 300+ different council processes
  • Better mapping, using INSPIRE spatial datasets
  • Consistent turnaround times
  • Cleaner, clearer data, reducing the risk of omissions
  • Easier access for conveyancers, especially in edge cases or multi‑parcel searches

For buyers and conveyancers, this means a more predictable, transparent experience – and fewer discrepancies between planning systems, mapping, and the LLC register.

Why this matters in practice

LLCs can flag anything from a straightforward TPO to a condition that must be discharged, a financial liability still owed, or a highway obligation that limits future alterations. Even one missed entry could have costly consequences.

The digital migration helps reduce these risks by improving visibility, consistency, and auditability.

Local Land Charges may not grab headlines, but they’re one of the most important safeguards in the homebuying journey. Understanding how the register works – and how the HMLR digital upgrade is modernising it – helps conveyancers guide clients with confidence, clarity and the right expectations.

Local Development Plans quietly shape the places we live, work, and build, long before foundations are poured or planning applications reach committee.

They’re the blueprint for growth, setting out where new homes, schools, employment land, transport improvements and green spaces will go over the next decade or more… and now, with a major upgrade to the plan‑making system arriving in early 2026, it’s the perfect moment to unpack what’s changing, why it matters, and how it impacts conveyancing and property transactions.

What is a Local Development Plan?

A Local Development Plan is a legally required document produced by every local authority. It:

  • sets the vision and priorities for an area
  • identifies where development will (and won’t) go
  • outlines policies on housing, employment, transport, climate, heritage, and the environment
  • provides proposals maps showing spatial designations
  • guides planning decisions for years to come

Local authorities publish these plans online, usually in the planning policy area of their website. Alongside the main plan, there may be supplementary documents, area‑wide strategies, or draft proposals still in preparation.

What’s changing for 2026?

The UK Government is introducing a new Local Plan‑making system, designed to be faster, clearer, and more consistent. The current system is widely seen as slow, expensive, and highly variable between authorities.

From early 2026, the key changes include:

1. A new 30‑month timeline for producing plans

One of the biggest shifts. Local authorities will be required to prepare and adopt Local Plans within 30 months – a dramatic tightening compared to today’s often multi‑year processes.

2. A streamlined evidence and examination process

Authorities will no longer need to produce huge volumes of supporting documents. The system aims to reduce the administrative burden and speed up examinations.

3. A more standardised, map‑based format

Plans will become more visual, digital, and easier to interpret. Spatial clarity will improve – good news for conveyancers trying to navigate layers of designations.

4. Updated National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)

A revised NPPF is expected for consultation in late 2025 and adoption in mid‑2026. It will align with the new plan‑making system and support faster homebuilding, infrastructure delivery, and clearer design expectations.

5. Stronger accountability for authorities

Central government has made it clear that up‑to‑date plans are non‑negotiable. There will be tighter expectations (and fewer excuses) for delays.

Why does the 2026 upgrade matter to our industry?

Local Plans aren’t just abstract policy documents – they directly shape:

  • Future development around a property
    New housing allocations, transport schemes, schools, relief roads or regeneration zones can significantly influence value and expectations.
  • Planning risk
    A site near a proposed growth corridor or employment zone may see increased activity. Conversely, land within a protected designation may face tighter restrictions.
  • Timing and certainty
    A clear 30‑month plan cycle means fewer periods of planning limbo, reducing ambiguity for buyers.
  • Emerging proposals
    Draft plans or recently published plans may be referenced in search results even before formal adoption. It’s helpful to explain that “emerging weight” can influence decisions.

How does this appear in property searches?

Search reports often include:

  • recent and emerging development plans
  • spatial policies affecting the property
  • unmapped designations referenced in planning policy
  • strategic documents that may influence the area
  • local authority plan‑making updates or consultations

Not every document listed affects the specific property directly; sometimes it simply indicates that the site falls within the wider plan boundary.

Local Development Plans are the backbone of the planning system, and the 2026 upgrade aims to make them faster, clearer, and more reliable. For conveyancers, they’re an essential part of contextual property advice: helping buyers understand what their surroundings may look like in five, ten, or fifteen years’ time.

As the new plan‑making system comes into force, staying aware of local authorities’ progress will be key to giving clients accurate, up‑to‑date guidance.

Biodiversity Net Gain is one of those phrases that feels simultaneously important and slightly mysterious. Luckily, it’s much simpler (and much more logical) than it sounds.

Here’s a friendly, five‑minute guide to help conveyancers explain BNG clearly and confidently, minus the jargon and the drama.

What is Biodiversity Net Gain?

BNG is now a legal requirement for most land developments in England. In short: Every development must leave nature in a measurably better state than it was before.

That means developers need to increase the biodiversity value of a site by at least 10%, using a recognised metric to show that habitats have been created, enhanced, or restored.

This shift reflects a very practical reality: biodiversity has been declining fast. BNG aims to reverse that trend by embedding environmental improvement into the planning system rather than treating it as an optional extra.

How is BNG measured?

This is where the metric comes in – most notably Defra’s Biodiversity Metric 4.0, the industry’s standard tool for assessing habitat value.

Ecologists (or other suitably qualified professionals) assess:

  • the type of habitats on the site
  • their condition
  • their distinctiveness
  • their size
  • any linear features such as hedgerows or rivers

Each habitat gets a biodiversity “score,” forming the baseline. Developers then show how they’ll deliver at least a 10% improvement on that score.

In practice, this often requires a site visit, and yes, habitat surveys mostly happen in spring and summer, which adds a fun seasonal constraint to planning teams.

How can developers achieve Biodiversity Net Gain?

There are three main routes:

1. On-site improvements

Enhancing or creating habitats within the development boundary — for example, restoring grasslands, adding woodland areas, or improving connectivity between ecological features.

2. Off-site units

When on-site uplift isn’t possible, developers can deliver improvements elsewhere, sometimes using habitat banks: areas of pre-created, high-value habitat that generate biodiversity units.

3. Statutory biodiversity credits

A last resort, used when neither on-site nor off-site options are feasible. These are government-issued credits, designed to fill unavoidable gaps rather than be a go‑to solution.

Most schemes blend the three to meet their uplift target.

Why does Biodiversity Net Gain matter to conveyancers?

Although BNG primarily affects the planning and development stages, it’s becoming increasingly important in transactions too, especially where:

  • land is being sold for development
  • development sites change hands mid‑process
  • off-site biodiversity units are being purchased or traded
  • long-term habitat management obligations (often 30 years) are attached to land

Key considerations include:

  • Legal agreements, such as Section 106 obligations securing habitat creation and maintenance
  • Land charges that bind future owners to ongoing ecological management
  • Liability and stewardship, including who is responsible for monitoring and maintaining habitats over the long term
  • Valuation, since BNG potential can inflate or depress a site’s development prospects

A little early clarity can prevent big headaches later.

Is BNG good news?

In a word: yes. It ensures development contributes positively to the environment, encourages smarter land use, and helps protect ecosystems that support everything from pollination to flood resilience.

It also aligns with wider sustainability goals and, increasingly, consumer expectations. Nature recovery is no longer a fringe concern – it’s becoming part of mainstream development practice.

Biodiversity Net Gain is a significant, forward‑looking change to how we plan, build, and value land in England. For conveyancers, it’s another dimension of due diligence – but also an opportunity to help clients understand a major shift in environmental responsibility.

And despite its name, BNG isn’t about hugging trees (though no judgement). It’s about ensuring that development leaves nature better off than it found it – with a clear metric, a legal backbone, and practical pathways to deliver meaningful ecological uplift.

Contaminated land is one of those phrases that can make buyers sit up a little straighter… usually because it sounds like something lifted from an ITV crime drama rather than a property report.

In reality, it’s a very common consideration in conveyancing, particularly in areas with an industrial past, and it’s far less alarming once you understand what sits behind it.

Here’s a clear, friendly five‑minute explainer to help conveyancers cut through the worry and get straight to the facts.

What do we mean by contaminated land?

In simple terms, contaminated land is land that contains substances capable of causing harm to people, property, protected species, or the wider environment. These substances might be present because of:

  • former industrial activity (factories, gasworks, mills, workshops)
  • waste disposal or historic landfill sites
  • chemical storage, fuel tanks, or hazardous materials
  • activities that took place decades ago, long before environmental regulation

Crucially, you can’t diagnose contaminated land by looking at it. It could be a spotless garden today but have a past life as something far less wholesome. That’s why desk studies, environmental searches, and local authority records matter so much.

Where does it tend to occur?

Anywhere, but especially in places with an industrial heritage. Many urban areas across the UK once hosted small workshops, yards, and factories that no longer exist. Rural sites can also be affected, thanks to historic waste pits, infilled ponds, or agricultural chemicals.

Even closed landfill sites can leave a legacy, as gases and leachate can persist long after operations stop.

Why does contaminated land matter in a property transaction?

Three key reasons:

1. Health and environmental risks

Some contaminants can affect human health or pollute groundwater and watercourses if not identified and managed properly.

2. Liability

Under environmental legislation, landowners can be held strictly liable for the cost of remediation – even if they weren’t the ones who caused the contamination and even if the activities happened decades ago.
This is where the “polluter pays” principle tries to help; but the original polluter often can’t be traced, leaving the current owner responsible.

3. Significance in mortgage lending

Lenders tend to be cautious. If contamination is suspected, they may require further investigation or assurances before agreeing to lend.

How do we identify potential contaminated land?

Environmental searches are the starting point. They draw on datasets that look for things like:

  • historic and current industrial uses
  • registered waste sites or landfill sites
  • pollution incidents and enforcement notices
  • hazardous substance consents
  • historic maps showing potentially contaminative activities
  • fuel stations, tanks, and energy facilities
  • groundwater vulnerability

These searches don’t declare a site ‘contaminated’ – they simply flag whether further investigation is sensible.

If needed, a phased investigation follows:

Phase 1: Desk study and site walkover
Phase 2: Intrusive investigation (soil/groundwater testing)
Phase 3: Remediation (if necessary)
Phase 4: Verification (prove it’s been cleaned up)

What does this mean for the homebuyer?

More often than not, environmental searches return a “no further action” result and everyone moves on. But when they don’t, it’s important to explain clearly:

  • A “potential risk” doesn’t mean the site is unsafe.
  • Further enquiries or specialist advice may be required.
  • Planning conditions for newer developments often mean contamination has already been investigated and addressed.
  • Remediation is possible and common – but it should be understood before exchange.

Also, failing to disclose known contamination can expose sellers and conveyancers to legal claims, so transparency is essential.

Contaminated land isn’t a deal‑breaker; it’s a reminder of the UK’s rich and sometimes messy industrial past. With the right searches, checks, and professional support, it’s entirely manageable – and often already accounted for in planning or site redevelopment.

Buyers simply need clear information so they can weigh the risks, understand their responsibilities, and proceed with confidence.

Radon gas is one of those environmental risks that slips into a property search without much ado: no colour, no smell, and certainly no fanfare.

It sits there patiently, waiting for someone to recall exactly what it means. Fortunately, despite its low‑profile approach, it’s a well‑understood and very manageable issue.

Here’s a friendly, five‑minute guide to help conveyancers explain it clearly and confidently.

What is radon gas?

Radon is a natural radioactive gas that comes from tiny amounts of uranium in rocks and soils. Outdoors, it disperses harmlessly into the air. Indoors, however, it can accumulate, especially in basements, ground‑floor rooms, or buildings in certain geological conditions.

You can’t see, smell, or taste radon, so the only way to detect it is through testing.

Why does radon matter in property transactions?

Because radon can build up inside buildings, long‑term exposure to high concentrations can increase the risk of lung cancer. That’s why property searches highlight whether a home falls within a Radon Affected Area and provide an estimate of the percentage of homes nearby that may exceed the official Action Level.

It’s important to reassure clients that:

  • Being in a Radon Affected Area does not automatically mean the property has high indoor radon levels.
  • The only way to know is through a simple home test.
  • Radon mitigation is usually inexpensive and effective.

How is radon measured?

Testing is carried out using small detectors placed inside the property for a period of time (typically three months). These give an accurate reading of the average radon level. If the level is above the Action Level (200 Bq/m³), mitigation is recommended. Many householders also choose to reduce levels above the lower Target Level (100 Bq/m³), particularly if they are higher‑risk individuals, such as smokers or ex‑smokers.

What happens if high radon levels are found?

The good news: radon is very fixable.

Mitigation measures might include:

  • improving under‑floor ventilation
  • installing positive‑pressure or extract systems
  • sealing floors and walls
  • adding radon barriers in new builds

In most cases, these are simple works costing roughly the same as a standard home improvement, like fitting a carpet or upgrading ventilation.

Radon and new‑build properties

For new homes in Radon Affected Areas, building regulations require protective measures such as:

  • radon‑resistant membranes, and
  • sub‑floor ventilation or sump systems (depending on risk level)

This means many newer properties already have preventative features in place.

What should conveyancers flag to clients?

A quick, clear explanation goes a long way:

  • Check whether the property is in a Radon Affected Area – searches will tell you.
  • Ask the seller whether radon testing has taken place, and if so:
    • what the readings were,
    • whether mitigation was installed, and
    • whether follow‑up testing confirmed success.
  • Reassure clients that radon risk is manageable and not usually a deal‑breaker.
  • Encourage testing after completion if the property is in an affected area and hasn’t been tested recently.

Radon gas sounds dramatic, but in the property world it’s simply another environmental factor to be aware of – and one that’s easy to address. With clear information and straightforward testing, buyers can make confident, informed decisions about both the home they’re purchasing and any optional mitigation they may choose to install.