The Land Registry chief executive has defended the centralisation of local searches.

Speaking on a panel at the Conveyancing Association conference, Graham Farrant said a centralised and standardised system would improve the service.

Addressing the crowd after receiving applause at news that the Land Registry would stay in public hands, he said: “The speed of searches shouldn’t be a postcode lottery.

“We are bringing a service from 326 local authorities to a single portal and working to ensure we can improve the database.”

He said they were working to centralise the first tranche in 2017 and would have a more definitive timetable in April or May, adding that he expected a five year roll-out.

However, fellow panellist Stephen Murray of the Property Search Group said the system would be less effective without the inclusion of a CON29 form in digital form.

The CON29 complements the local land charges register search but adds information on any upcoming work in the area that would impact the property.

Addressing this, Farrant said: “There is no momentum to bring in CON29. We are focusing on getting searches centralised.

“Digitising CON29 needs to start with a conversation with the Law Society as you can’t digitise something a planning office hasn’t done yet.”