Work Signals research guide
Property Data for Planning & Building Research
A planning proposal tells you what is being proposed. Supporting property records can add context, provided they refer to the same site or building.
Start with identity, not the amount of data
The useful question is whether a record belongs to this property. A national database can contain millions of entries while a particular planning application has no reliable match. Keep the address, postcode, building or unit and official source references together before interpreting evidence.
Work Signals keeps source availability separate from property matching. Each scorecard can have planning evidence alone, or additional sale, EPC, land or company context where a supported join exists. We do not add overlapping record types together and describe the sum as unique properties.
| Source holdings | Published count | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| England/Wales recorded sales | 31,610,742 | Exact property match required |
| England/Wales indicative parcels | 24,362,245 | All 318 physical files validated |
| Scottish indicative parcels | 1,573,146 | Separate RoS identities; site matching pending |
| Scottish non-address EPC records | 1,558,233 | Historical source context; verified identity required |
| UK HPI current council series | 381 | Area-level context; not individual valuations |
Different record types overlap. Counts are not a combined total of unique properties or matched planning sites.
Choose the evidence you need
- Land parcel polygons: indicative registered land extents and geometry limits.
- Recorded sale history: transaction dates, registration lag and address matching.
- EPC research: assessed building context and certificate identity.
- Company and ownership evidence: distinguish business candidates, portfolio links and site ownership.
- House Price Index context: council-level trends rather than an individual valuation.
Source scope changes across the UK
HMLR Price Paid and INSPIRE collections cover England and Wales. Scotland has separate RoS parcels and EPC extracts, with verified property matching still required. Scottish individual-sales access is separate. Northern Ireland bulk property-sales, parcel and EPC sources are not currently connected. Companies House is UK-wide, and HPI provides area-level context for 381 current councils.
A research checklist for one application
- Confirm the application site on the original planning register.
- Compare every supporting record against the complete address and building or unit.
- Read the source and effective date, not just when it was collected.
- Separate a verified identity from a possible company-name candidate.
- Write down missing evidence instead of assuming that absence proves anything about the property.
For example, a flats conversion may have a site-wide planning record while EPC certificates relate to separate units. A street-level match alone is insufficient. A large parcel can also contain more than one building and should not be treated as proof of which unit is affected.
Trace the evidence back to its source
Use our collection and matching methodology and the live source inventory. A planning application is a research lead rather than a confirmed contract or a request for contact.