environment - OneSearch

Landmark’s latest market research suggests the industry’s biggest challenge is no longer access to climate risk data, but interpreting it.

With 90% of conveyancers saying they would act sooner if climate information was easier to access and interpret, the opportunity is not more data, but helping professionals understand what matters, what it means and what happens next.

Key research takeaways

Climate risk is now considered as important as other mainstream due diligence checks by 82% of conveyancers.
90% of conveyancers would act sooner if information was easier to access and interpret.
Research suggests the next challenge is helping conveyancers interpret which risks matter, what they mean and what action they should advise.

Why more climate data doesn’t automatically create better decisions

As climate risk gains prominence, conveyancers often find themselves navigating an expanding range of datasets, reports and risk indicators. Yet, more information is not always synonymous with greater confidence.

Eighty per cent of conveyancers said that their organisation feels confident explaining what climate risk information does and doesn’t mean for a property. However, significant challenges remain around regulation, responsibility and consistent interpretation across the sector.

This suggests the conveyancing industry’s next challenge may not be information availability, but information relevance. “Conveyancers are busy people,” explains Elizabeth Jarvis, Managing Director at OneSearch. “They don’t necessarily need more data. They need confidence that they’re focusing on the information most relevant to the decision in front of them.”

Whether considering flood exposure, ground stability, heat stress or energy performance, understanding how different factors connect and which are most material can often be more valuable than simply receiving additional information.

Climate awareness is no longer the problem

Sixty per cent of conveyancers have seen increasing client concern around climate change over the past year, while more than four in five (82%) now view climate risk information as becoming as important as other mainstream due diligence checks.

For Elizabeth, this reflects a broader shift in market maturity. “Most conveyancers now recognise that climate considerations form part of the wider due diligence picture,” says Elizabeth. “The challenge is no longer building awareness. It’s helping people understand what information is relevant, what it means in context and how it should influence decision-making.”

Why interpretation is becoming as important as information

One of the most striking findings from the research is that 90% of conveyancers say they would act sooner if climate information was easier to access and interpret. At the same time, 80% believe climate risks are still being identified too late to prevent disruption in many transactions.

These results point to an important distinction. Access to data alone does not automatically lead to action. Identifying a potential climate-related risk is often only the beginning of a much wider process. Conveyancers still need to determine how relevant the finding is to a specific property, what level of concern it may warrant and whether any further investigation may be appropriate.

“A climate alert on its own rarely provides a complete picture,” says Elizabeth. “Conveyancers need help assessing the significance of that finding within the context of the property, the transaction and the decision they’re trying to make. That’s where interpretation becomes incredibly important.”

Download the report

Landmark’s latest market research report, Climate change in the property sector 2026, explores how conveyancers, estate agents and mortgage lenders are responding to climate risk, where the biggest challenges remain and why interpretation is becoming just as important as climate risk data itself.

The findings suggest the industry’s next phase of maturity will not be defined by access to more data, but by helping professionals focus on what matters, understand it in context and apply it with confidence.

Download the report to explore the full findings and discover why clearer, more interpretable climate insight could be one of the property sector’s biggest opportunities.

Climate considerations are becoming embedded in conveyancing but timing and consistency remain key challenges.

Our parent company Landmark’s latest climate change market research shows:

81% of property professionals now treat climate risk as core due diligence.
75% say risks are identified too late to prevent disruption in many transactions.
Responsibility is still shared across stakeholders but is not yet clearly defined.

The next step is clear: ensuring climate insight is delivered early enough, and clearly enough, to support confident client decisions.

Download Climate change in the property sector 2026: turning insight into action to learn more.

The UK’s renewable energy landscape has expanded dramatically in recent years, and with it the number of homes that sit within sight – or earshot – of a wind or solar installation.

For buyers considering a property near an existing or proposed renewable energy development, understanding what proximity actually means in practical terms is an important part of making an informed decision.

Get up to speed on Wind & Solar Farm proximity in just five minutes.

What’s the current picture?

Wind and solar developments are found across the UK, from large offshore wind arrays to onshore turbine clusters on upland moors, and from utility -scale solar farms covering hundreds of acres to smaller installations on agricultural land. Many are already operational. Others are consented but not yet built. And a significant pipeline of new applications moves through the planning system at any given time.

A property that currently enjoys open countryside views may be within the footprint of a consented solar farm. A rural home may be within the noise assessment zone of a proposed wind development. Neither of these things will necessarily appear on a standard local search – which is precisely why specific enquiries matter.

What are the practical concerns for buyers?

The concerns most commonly raised by buyers in relation to wind and solar proximity fall into several categories:

Visual impact – wind turbines are tall, moving structures visible across significant distances. Solar farms, while lower to the ground, can cover large areas of previously open landscape. Both can materially affect the outlook from a property
Noise – wind turbines generate a characteristic low -frequency noise that is subject to planning conditions and noise assessment requirements, but which some residents find intrusive, particularly at night
Shadow flicker – turbines rotating in sunlight can create a flickering effect inside nearby properties at certain times of day. Planning conditions typically require developers to address this, but it’s worth understanding whether it’s been assessed for properties in close proximity
Access and traffic – construction phases for large wind and solar projects generate significant HGV movements on rural roads, which can affect properties nearby for an extended period
Property value – the evidence on value impact varies by location and type of development, but proximity to large wind or solar installations is a factor some buyers and lenders take into account

What about proposed developments?

A development that hasn’t been built yet – or even formally applied for – is harder to identify than one already on the landscape. Planning applications for renewable energy projects appear on the relevant local planning authority’s register, and for larger nationally significant infrastructure projects, on the Planning Inspectorate’s database.

A CON29O optional enquiry can surface information held by the local authority about proposed energy developments in the area. For projects large enough to be classified as Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects – generally onshore wind above 50MW and solar above 50MW in England – the application is handled by the Planning Inspectorate rather than the local authority, so additional research may be needed.

Does planning policy affect what can be approved nearby?

Planning policy on renewable energy in England has evolved over time and continues to do so. Onshore wind in particular has been subject to significant policy changes in recent years, affecting where new turbines can be consented and on what basis. Buyers concerned about future development near a property they’re considering should look at the local development plan, which will set out the council’s approach to renewable energy in that area.

What should buyers ask?

Before exchange, buyers with concerns about renewable energy proximity should ask their conveyancer to raise the relevant CON29O enquiries, and consider whether additional searches, including a planning search covering a broader radius, would be appropriate. Where a specific development has been identified, reviewing the planning decision notice and any associated conditions can provide useful detail on what mitigation was required.

Proximity to a wind or solar installation isn’t automatically a problem – but it’s the kind of thing a buyer should know about before they commit, not discover on the day they move in. The landscape is changing quickly, and the planning pipeline for renewable energy is active. Asking the right questions at the right stage of the conveyancing process makes all the difference.

Buying a home near an overhead power line, electricity substation or gas pipeline is more common than many buyers realise.

Energy infrastructure is woven into the landscape across the UK – urban and rural alike – and its presence near a property can affect everything from what can be built to how easily the home can be mortgaged.

Understanding what’s there, and what it means, is an important part of due diligence, so here it all is, in five minutes.

What counts as energy infrastructure?

Energy infrastructure covers a broad range of apparatus and installations that form part of the networks used to generate, transmit and distribute energy. In the context of residential property, the most commonly encountered types include:

Overhead electricity lines – from high -voltage national grid transmission lines carried on tall steel pylons, to lower -voltage distribution lines on wooden poles that run through residential streets and across gardens
Underground cables – electricity cables buried beneath land, which may cross a property’s boundary without being visible at the surface
Electricity substations – installations that step voltage up or down across the network, ranging from large fenced compounds to small green metal cabinets on the pavement
Gas transmission pipelines – high -pressure pipelines carrying gas across the country, typically buried and marked at regular intervals with yellow warning signs
Gas distribution mains – lower -pressure pipes serving individual streets and properties
Oil and other fuel pipelines – less common but present in certain areas, particularly near refineries, ports and airports

What rights do network operators have?

Energy infrastructure doesn’t appear on land by accident. Network operators – companies like National Grid, Scottish Power Energy Networks, Northern Gas Networks and others – hold legal rights over land where their apparatus sits or crosses. These rights typically take the form of easements or wayleaves registered against the title to the land.

An easement gives the operator a permanent right to keep their apparatus in place and to access the land for maintenance and inspection. A wayleave is a similar right, usually granted by agreement with the landowner, which in some cases can be terminated – though the operator may have statutory powers to insist on a replacement.

These rights travel with the land. A buyer purchasing a property with an overhead line crossing the garden, or a buried cable running beneath it, takes on the land subject to those rights. That can affect what they can build, where they can plant, and whether they can alter the ground in certain areas.

What are the practical implications for buyers?

The presence of energy infrastructure near a property has a number of potential implications worth understanding before exchange:

Building restrictions – there are minimum safe clearance distances from overhead electricity lines within which construction is not permitted. The Health and Safety Executive publishes guidance on safe working distances, and network operators must be consulted before any work near overhead lines
Mortgage and insurance – some lenders apply additional conditions or restrictions to properties within a certain distance of high -voltage overhead lines. Insurance can also be affected in some circumstances
Permitted development – certain automatic permitted development rights may be affected by the presence of infrastructure rights over the land
Aesthetic and amenity impact – high -voltage pylons and substations can affect outlook and, in some cases, market value, though the evidence on health effects from electromagnetic fields remains a subject of ongoing scientific review
Underground apparatus – buyers planning landscaping, excavation or construction work need to know what’s below the ground before work starts. Striking a buried cable or pipeline can be dangerous and costly

How is energy infrastructure identified?

A CON29O optional enquiry can reveal whether any electricity lines, apparatus or rights are recorded by the local authority. For underground pipelines, the Health and Safety Executive’s pipeline database and individual network operator records are the primary sources.

Where apparatus is visible – a pylon, a substation, a pole – its presence will be obvious. Where it’s buried or where easements and wayleaves exist in the title, they should appear in the title register and associated documents provided as part of the conveyancing process.

Energy infrastructure is a fixed feature of the landscape – it doesn’t move, and the rights attached to it don’t disappear when a property changes hands. For buyers, the key questions are what’s there, what rights the operator holds, and what that means for how the land can be used. Getting clear answers before exchange avoids the kind of surprises that are significantly harder to deal with after completion.

Commons registration and village green rights are some of the most powerful (and often most surprising) constraints a buyer can encounter. They can restrict development, dictate long‑established public access, and even prevent routine changes to land use.

Yet many clients only hear about them for the first time during conveyancing. This short guide explains what commons and village greens are, how they’re recorded, and why they matter for property transactions of all kinds.

What Are Common Land and Village Greens?

Common land refers to land over which certain people – historically “commoners” – hold traditional rights, such as grazing or collecting wood. Village greens are areas traditionally used by local communities for recreation, sports, dog walking or community events. Both types of land are legally protected and cannot be developed or enclosed without specific statutory processes. Even where the land looks unremarkable on the ground, registration as common land or as a village green has a powerful legal effect that can override private ownership ambitions.

How Are They Registered?

Since the 1960s, local authorities have kept statutory registers of common land and town or village greens. These registers record the exact boundary of the land, ownership details (where known), and any rights that exist over it. Registration provides certainty: once land is registered, those public rights are exceptionally difficult to remove. Importantly, registration doesn’t always mean the land is large or well‑known – small pockets, verges, and strips of seemingly unused land can all be listed, and these are often the ones that catch buyers unaware.

Why Does This Matter in Conveyancing?

Registration can have major implications for current and future use. A buyer cannot simply fence off, build on, change or resurface registered land. Stopping up rights of access is extremely difficult. Where a property includes – or abuts – a piece of registered common or village green, that status can have a direct impact on garden extensions, driveways, parking, landscaping, access improvements and development value. Even where the registered land is not being purchased, if it lies adjacent to the boundary, it can limit what the buyer may do and may affect saleability later.

How Do These Appear in Searches?

Local Authority Searches can reveal whether the land being purchased is registered as common land or a village green. However, the search result may only show entries for the land itself, not neighbouring land. This means buyers may still be affected by rights over nearby land even if the register doesn’t flag a direct charge. Planning history can also hint at these issues, especially where previous applications have been refused or restricted due to community use, public access, or longstanding recreational rights. Conveyancers should pay particular attention to boundary plans and any areas used informally by local residents.

What Risks Should Buyers Be Aware Of?

Buyers may unintentionally assume they can improve access, add parking, extend into a side garden, or incorporate an adjoining strip into their title, only to later discover the land is protected. Owners who obstruct or interfere with common land or village green rights may face enforcement action, criminal penalties, or civil challenges. Even if a buyer has no immediate development plans, the presence of registered land nearby can influence valuation, lender comfort and future marketability. It’s also worth noting that local communities can apply to register new village greens, sometimes triggered when land is threatened by development.

Can Registration Be Removed or Changed?

In practice, deregistering land or removing village green status is extremely difficult. There are narrow statutory procedures, but they usually require offering replacement land or proving that the land was wrongly registered. For most homeowners and small developers, these routes are neither simple nor quick. This is why early identification is crucial: buyers need to know how the land is designated before they rely on being able to alter it.

Commons registration and village green rights are powerful legal protections that can significantly influence what a buyer can do with land now and in the future. They can appear in unexpected places and come with consequences that aren’t always obvious at first glance.

By checking the registers early, reviewing boundary detail carefully, and helping clients understand the limits these designations impose, conveyancers can prevent misunderstandings and ensure plans remain realistic from day one.

Ground instability is a quiet but important concern in conveyancing, especially in areas with historic mining, chalk or limestone geology, old quarries, or complex underground infrastructure.

While full sinkholes are rare, the underlying risks – from subsidence to unexpected voids – can affect property condition, insurability and even mortgageability. This quick blog helps conveyancers explain what ground instability means, how it relates to sinkhole formation, and what clients should be aware of when making informed decisions.

What Is Ground Instability?

Ground instability refers to movement, weakening or collapse of the ground beneath a property. It can be caused by natural geological processes, such as dissolution of soluble rocks like chalk or limestone, or by human activity, such as historical mining, tunnelling, quarrying, landfill settlement or old infrastructure failures. Some instability issues progress slowly over time, while others can develop suddenly, which is why environmental searches commonly flag increased risk zones.

How Do Sinkholes Fit Into the Picture?

Sinkholes are one of the most visible (and sometimes alarming) forms of ground instability. They occur when the ground beneath a property collapses into a void, usually created by dissolving limestone, chalk or salt deposits, or by the collapse of an unrecorded mine or man‑made cavity. While dramatic media coverage sometimes gives the impression that sinkholes are common, they remain relatively rare. However, when they do occur, they can cause serious structural damage and require major engineering work.

Where Are Instability Risks More Likely?

Risk often aligns with historic activity or local geology. Former mining areas – coal, chalk, tin, gypsum and other minerals – may contain old shafts, adits or unrecorded workings. Certain regions with limestone or chalk bedrock are naturally more prone to dissolution features. Areas with clay soils may experience shrink‑swell movement during periods of extreme weather. Urban sites built over old landfills or backfilled quarries can experience settlement. Even infrastructure such as leaking drains, broken sewers or failed soakaways can trigger localised collapse beneath driveways or extensions.

How Does This Appear in Searches?

Environmental searches typically assess ground stability risks through national databases, mining records, landfill mapping, historic land use and geological models. They may flag: potential for natural cavities; historic mining activity; known sinkhole incidents; ground that is prone to shrink‑swell clay movement; and areas where subsidence claims have been concentrated. Additional specialist searches from Landmark, such as mining reports, coal authority searches or ground stability assessments, can provide more granular detail. Conveyancers should help clients interpret the difference between a “potential risk” and an “actionable concern”.

What Should Clients Be Aware Of?

Clients should understand that a flagged ground instability risk does not automatically mean the property is unsafe. Instead, it highlights that further checks may be sensible. Clients may need to consider property age, structural history, drainage condition, and whether there have been previous insurance claims for subsidence or movement. Modern homes often incorporate foundations designed for local geology, but older properties may be more vulnerable to underlying ground changes. For planned extensions or significant landscaping, ground conditions may dictate foundation type and cost.

What About Insurance and Mortgage Lenders?

Subsidence and ground instability can influence premiums, excess levels and insurer willingness to cover certain risks. Lenders may ask for more information if a search highlights past instability or historic mining. If a survey or structural report identifies movement, buyers may need to provide additional evidence that the issue is historic, monitored, or already remediated. Promptly addressing insurer or lender queries prevents delays later in the transaction.

Ground instability and sinkhole risk are important but manageable considerations in property transactions. Most flagged risks do not result in dramatic events, but they do warrant thoughtful due diligence.

By helping clients understand the nature of local geology, historic activity and what search results really mean, conveyancers can guide them through practical next steps, whether that’s seeking a structural opinion, engaging with insurers early or simply proceeding with informed confidence.