This document specifies conceptual requirements for the creation, maintenance, assurance and presentation of land referencing information.

It applies to organisations and individuals undertaking land referencing, and to clients or other organisations specifying, receiving or using land referencing products. It is intended to be applicable to projects of any size and in England and Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Its concepts can also be applied in other jurisdictions.

This document specifies:

principles for trustworthy and proportionate land referencing;

general requirements for identification, evidence, provenance, versioning, linkage, completeness, currency and quality status;

a conceptual framework for land, land requirements, rights and parties;

requirements for geospatial information;

required outcomes of land referencing processes;

requirements for land referencing outputs; and

governance, assurance, information security, data protection and conformity requirements.

This document does not specify:

legal definitions that apply in a particular jurisdiction;

the threshold of inquiry required by a particular enactment, rule, standing order, consent process or contract;

a search, enquiry, engagement, notice or acquisition methodology;

the legal effect, validity, priority or enforceability of a right;

valuation, compensation or legal advice;

particular software, file formats, map scales or production technologies; or

the detailed form of a jurisdiction-specific or procedure-specific output.

An organisation claiming conformity with this document shall also identify and comply with the applicable legal, jurisdictional, procedural, contractual and information-governance requirements.

JURISDICTIONAL NOTE (informative)
The land registration systems, terminology, mapping conventions and compulsory acquisition procedures of England and Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland differ materially. Annex C provides an application crosswalk, but it is not a substitute for jurisdiction-specific legal or technical requirements.