Work Signals research guide
UK Planning Applications & Building Opportunities
Find a clear starting point for UK building, energy and property research. Choose a council, check what is published and follow the original planning record.
Start with the right council and project
A proposed extension, conversion or commercial building can help a contractor identify work that fits their business. Work Signals brings collected applications together with source links and property evidence where a reliable match exists. Search by postcode or council, then review the proposal and its planning stage before saving it.
Our national inventory includes 382 current councils, alongside additional park and former-district registers. A configured source is an intended collection target. It becomes published coverage only after records have arrived and passed import checks. The live summary below makes that distinction explicit.
Planning and property research by nation
- England: council and regional guides, with HMLR sales and land data.
- Wales: the 22 principal councils, national park considerations and England/Wales property sources.
- Scotland: the 32 councils, RoS parcels and Scottish EPC source context.
- Northern Ireland: the 11 councils, official planning routes and property-data access gaps.
Explore published English regions
Use these guides to choose council searches and understand local collection limits. The same project can appear in more than one source; an application reference helps you avoid counting it twice.
- London and neighbouring councils
- North West England
- Yorkshire
- North East England
- East and West Midlands
- South East England
- East of England
A practical review before adding a lead
- Open the official record and confirm the address, reference and proposal.
- Distinguish the application date, decision date and collection date. Older archives are useful context but are not new enquiries.
- Read the drawings and project description to decide whether the likely work fits your services.
- Review any linked sale, EPC or land evidence at the correct building or unit.
- Keep a shortlist with the source and a reason to revisit the project.
A planning listing does not establish an available contract, a current request for quotations or the identity of the property owner. Use our building-work guide for the assessment process, or explore the supporting evidence.
Original registers and current coverage
For England and Wales, GOV.UK helps locate the local planning register. Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate official routes, linked in their nation guides. Check our live coverage and data sources when deciding which searches to use.