Local Authority Search
What You Need To Know
A local authority search provides essential information about planning permissions, building regulations, nearby developments, and any restrictions that may affect the property. Conducting this search early allows any potential legal or planning issues to be identified in advance, giving both the buyer and seller time to resolve concerns and avoid delays.
Requesting a local search upfront is a proactive step that can reduce delays, prevent last-minute problems, and provide peace of mind to everyone involved. Taking this simple action helps streamline the conveyancing process, saving time and ensuring a smoother transaction.
Below is a list of Local Authority areas and their current turnaround times for Local Searches (in working days), with those taking more than 20 days highlighted. Solicitors typically wait to order a Local Search until a mortgage offer and contracts are in place. However, you can speed up the process by clicking the link below, selecting “Search Pack Order,” and ordering the search yourself.
Local Authority Area | Turnaround (Working Days) |
20+ Days * | |
Adur District Council | 21 * |
Amber Valley Borough Council | 26 * |
Arun District Council | 5 |
Ashfield District Council | 11 |
Ashford Borough Council | 11 |
Babergh District Council | 11 |
Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council | 26 * |
Basildon District Council | 16 |
Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council | 5 |
Bassetlaw District Council | 16 |
Bath and North East Somerset Council | 11 |
Bedford Borough Council | 21 * |
Birmingham City Council | 9 |
Blaby District Council | 7 |
Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council | 16 |
Blackpool Borough Council | 11 |
Blaenau Gwent County Council Borough Council | 11 |
Bolsover District Council | 11 |
Bolton Metro Borough Council | 21 * |
Boston Borough Council | 9 |
Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole (Bournemouth Borough Council) | 11 |
Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole (Christchurch Borough Council) | 11 |
Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole (Poole Borough Council) | 9 |
Bracknell Forest Borough Council | 7 |
Bradford City Metro District Council | 11 |
Braintree District Council | 5 |
Breckland District Council | 16 |
Brentwood Borough Council | 11 |
Bridgend County Borough Council | 36 * |
Brighton & Hove City Council | 4 |
Bristol City Council | 11 |
Broadland District Council | 9 |
Bromsgrove District Council | 21 * |
Broxbourne Borough Council | 26 * |
Broxtowe Borough Council | 16 |
Buckinghamshire Council (Aylesbury Vale) | 11 |
Buckinghamshire Council (Wycombe) | 11 |
Burnley Borough Council | 11 |
Bury Metro Borough Council | 7 |
Caerphilly County Borough Council | 13 |
Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council | 26 * |
Cambridge City Council | 21 * |
Cannock Chase District Council | 13 |
Canterbury City Council | 21 * |
Cardiff Council | 4 |
Carmarthenshire County Council | 26 * |
Castle Point Borough Council | 11 |
Central Bedfordshire Council (Unitary) | 31 * |
Ceredigion County Council | 19 |
Charnwood Borough Council | 11 |
Chelmsford City Council | 16 |
Cheltenham Borough Council | 11 |
Cherwell District Council | 7 |
Cheshire East Borough Council (Unitary) | 11 |
Cheshire West and Chester Borough Council (Unitary) | 11 |
Chesterfield Borough Council | 21 * |
Chichester District Council | 11 |
Chorley Borough Council | 17 |
City of Doncaster Council | 7 |
City of Wakefield Metropolitan District | 11 |
City of York Council | 3 |
Colchester Borough Council | 7 |
Colchester City Council | 7 |
Conwy County Borough Council | 10 |
Cornwall Council (Unitary) | 31 * |
Corporation of the City of London | 26 * |
Cotswold District Council | 16 |
Coventry City Council | 11 |
Crawley Borough Council | 9 |
Cumberland Council (Allerdale Borough Council) | 26 * |
Cumberland Council (Carlisle City Council) | 16 |
Cumberland Council (Copeland Borough Council) | 31 * |
Dacorum Borough Council | 16 |
Darlington Borough Council | 16 |
Dartford Borough Council | 11 |
Denbighshire County Council | 18 |
Derby City Council | 11 |
Derbyshire Dales District Council | 16 |
Dorset Council (East Dorset District Council) | 11 |
Dorset Council (North Dorset District Council) | 11 |
Dorset Council (Purbeck District Council) | 11 |
Dorset Council (West Dorset District Council) | 11 |
Dorset Council (Weymouth & Portland Borough Council) | 11 |
Dover District Council | 11 |
Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council | 16 |
Durham County Council (Unitary) | 16 |
East Cambridgeshire District Council | 11 |
East Devon District Council | 7 |
East Hampshire District Council | 13 |
East Hertfordshire District Council | 11 |
East Lindsey District Council | 46 * |
East Riding of Yorkshire Council | 11 |
East Staffordshire Borough Council | 26 * |
East Suffolk Council | 9 |
Eastbourne Borough Council | 11 |
Eastleigh Borough Council | 11 |
Elmbridge Borough Council | 5 |
Epping Forest District Council | 25 * |
Epsom & Ewell Borough Council | 16 |
Erewash Borough Council | 21 * |
Exeter City Council | 16 |
Fareham Borough Council | 15 |
Fenland District Council | 14 |
Flintshire County Council | 26 * |
Folkestone & Hythe District Council | 16 |
Forest of Dean District Council | 16 |
Fylde Borough Council | 11 |
Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council | 3 |
Gedling Borough Council | 21 * |
Gloucester City Council | 11 |
Gosport Borough Council | 11 |
Gravesham Borough Council | 11 |
Great Yarmouth Borough Council | 21 * |
Guildford Borough Council | 5 |
Halton Borough Council | 11 |
Harborough District Council | 31 * |
Harlow District Council | 19 |
Hart District Council | 9 |
Hartlepool Council | 9 |
Hastings Borough Council | 19 |
Havant Borough Council | 11 |
Herefordshire Council | 11 |
Hertsmere Borough Council | 11 |
High Peak Borough Council | 21 * |
Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council | 7 |
Horsham District Council | 11 |
Huntingdonshire District Council | 12 |
Hyndburn Borough Council | 26 * |
Ipswich Borough Council | 11 |
Isle of Anglesey County Council | 11 |
Isle of Wight Council | 26 * |
Kings Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council | 15 |
Kingston upon Hull City Council | 11 |
Kirklees Metropolitan Council | 7 |
Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council | 16 |
Lancaster City Council | 11 |
Leeds City Council | 3 |
Leicester City Council | 16 |
Lewes District Council | 11 |
Lichfield District Council | 11 |
Lincoln City Council | 18 |
Liverpool City Council | 11 |
London Borough of Barking and Dagenham | 5 |
London Borough of Barnet | 5 |
London Borough of Bexley | 7 |
London Borough of Brent | 16 |
London Borough of Bromley | 4 |
London Borough of Camden | 46 * |
London Borough of Croydon | 7 |
London Borough of Ealing | 11 |
London Borough of Enfield | 6 |
London Borough of Hackney | 51 * |
London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham | 11 |
London Borough of Haringey | 5 |
London Borough of Harrow | 21 * |
London Borough of Havering Council | 11 |
London Borough of Hillingdon | 13 |
London Borough of Hounslow | 16 |
London Borough of Islington | 46 * |
London Borough of Lambeth | 5 |
London Borough of Lewisham | 11 |
London Borough of Merton | 11 |
London Borough of Newham | 5 |
London Borough of Redbridge | 41 * |
London Borough of Richmond-upon-Thames | 11 |
London Borough of Southwark | 11 |
London Borough of Sutton | 3 |
London Borough of Tower Hamlets | 9 |
London Borough of Waltham Forest | 11 |
London Borough of Wandsworth | 13 |
London Borough of Westminster | 5 |
Luton Borough Council | 11 |
Maidstone Borough Council | 7 |
Maldon District Council | 16 |
Malvern Hills District Council | 5 |
Manchester City Council | 4 |
Mansfield District Council | 26 * |
Medway Council | 11 |
Melton Borough Council | 9 |
Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council | 13 |
Mid Devon District Council | 7 |
Mid Suffolk District Council | 9 |
Mid Sussex District Council | 6 |
Middlesbrough Borough Council | 26 * |
Milton Keynes City Council | 21 * |
Mole Valley District Council | 6 |
Monmouthshire County Council | 16 |
Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council | 6 |
New Forest District Council | 16 |
Newark & Sherwood District Council | 19 |
Newcastle under Lyme Borough Council | 21 * |
Newcastle upon Tyne City Council | 26 * |
Newport City Council | 21 * |
North Devon District Council | 3 |
North East Derbyshire District Council | 24 * |
North East Lincolnshire Council | 12 |
North Hertfordshire District Council | 5 |
North Kesteven District Council | 5 |
North Lincolnshire Council | 11 |
North Norfolk District Council | 11 |
North Northamptonshire Council (Corby Borough Council) | 16 |
North Northamptonshire Council (East Northamptonshire District Council) | 16 |
North Northamptonshire Council (Kettering Borough Council) | 11 |
North Northamptonshire Council (Wellingborough Borough Council) | 11 |
North Somerset Council | 26 * |
North Tyneside Council | 11 |
North Warwickshire Borough Council | 16 |
North West Leicestershire District Council | 11 |
North Yorkshire Council (Craven District Council) | 11 |
North Yorkshire Council (Hambleton District Council) | 11 |
North Yorkshire Council (Harrogate Council) | 11 |
North Yorkshire Council (Richmondshire District Council) | 11 |
North Yorkshire Council (Ryedale District Council) | 21 * |
North Yorkshire Council (Scarborough Borough Council) | 16 |
North Yorkshire Council (Selby District Council) | 16 |
Northumberland County Council (Unitary) | 16 |
Norwich City Council | 16 |
Nottingham City Council | 11 |
Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council | 22 * |
Oadby & Wigston Borough Council | 7 |
Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council | 46 * |
Oxford City Council | 16 |
Pembrokeshire County Council | 13 |
Pendle Borough Council | 26 * |
Peterborough City Council | 11 |
Plymouth City Council | 18 |
Portsmouth City Council | 16 |
Powys County Council | 11 |
Preston Borough Council | 11 |
Reading Borough Council | 16 |
Redcar and Cleveland Council | 16 |
Redditch Borough Council | 21 * |
Reigate & Banstead Borough Council | 7 |
Rhondda Cynon Taff County Borough Council | 21 * |
Ribble Valley Borough Council | 11 |
Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council | 26 * |
Rochford District Council | 26 * |
Rossendale Borough Council | 16 |
Rother District Council | 21 * |
Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council | 11 |
Royal Borough of Greenwich | 31 * |
Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea | 11 |
Royal Borough of Kingston-upon-Thames | 31 * |
Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead | 11 |
Rugby Borough Council | 15 |
Runnymede Borough Council | 16 |
Rushcliffe Borough Council | 16 |
Rushmoor Borough Council | 11 |
Rutland County Council | 7 |
Salford City Council | 31 * |
Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council | 5 |
Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council | 7 |
Sevenoaks District Council | 11 |
Sheffield City Council | 26 * |
Shropshire Council (Unitary) | 16 |
Slough Council | 16 |
Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council | 11 |
Somerset Council (Mendip District Council) | 11 |
Somerset Council (Sedgemoor District Council) | 11 |
Somerset Council (Somerset West and Taunton Council) | 9 |
Somerset Council (South Somerset District Council) | 11 |
South Buckinghamshire District Council | 5 |
South Cambridgeshire District Council | 16 |
South Derbyshire District Council | 5 |
South Gloucestershire Council | 10 |
South Hams District Council | 11 |
South Holland District Council | 11 |
South Kesteven District Council | 11 |
South Norfolk District Council | 9 |
South Oxfordshire District Council | 11 |
South Ribble Borough Council | 41 * |
South Staffordshire District Council | 11 |
South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council | 11 |
Southampton City Council | 5 |
Southend-on-Sea Borough Council | 2 |
Southend-on-Sea City Council | 7 |
Spelthorne Borough Council | 5 |
St Albans City Council | 21 * |
St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council | 51 * |
Stafford Borough Council | 31 * |
Staffordshire Moorlands District Council | 11 |
Stevenage Borough Council | 16 |
Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council | 11 |
Stockton on Tees Council | 11 |
Stoke on Trent City Council | 33 * |
Stratford On Avon District Council | 17 |
Stroud District Council | 16 |
Sunderland Metropolitan Borough Council | 11 |
Surrey Heath Borough Council | 7 |
Swale Borough Council | 7 |
Swansea City and Borough Council | 11 |
Swindon Borough Council | 10 |
Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council | 26 * |
Tamworth Borough Council | 41 * |
Tandridge District Council | 15 |
Teignbridge District Council | 11 |
Telford and Wrekin Council | 16 |
Tendring District Council | 7 |
Test Valley Borough Council | 31 * |
Tewkesbury Borough Council | 31 * |
Thanet District Council | 13 |
Three Rivers District Council | 11 |
Thurrock District Council | 26 * |
Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council | 5 |
Torbay Borough Council | 21 * |
Torfaen County Borough Council | 13 |
Torridge District Council | 11 |
Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council | 21 * |
Tunbridge Wells Borough Council | 7 |
Uttlesford District Council | 7 |
Vale of Glamorgan Council | 31 * |
Vale of White Horse District Council | 9 |
Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council | 26 * |
Warrington Borough Council | 11 |
Warwick District Council | 11 |
Watford Borough Council | 11 |
Waverley Borough Council | 11 |
Wealden District Council | 11 |
Welwyn Hatfield Council | 21 * |
West Berkshire Council | 11 |
West Devon Borough Council | 13 |
West Lancashire Borough Council | 11 |
West Lindsey District Council | 11 |
West Northamptonshire Council (Daventry District Council) | 31 * |
Northampton Borough Council | 7 |
South Northamptonshire District Council | 11 |
West Oxfordshire District Council | 21 * |
West Suffolk Council | 11 |
Barrow in Furness Borough Council | 9 |
Westmorland and Furness Council (Eden District Council) | 21 * |
Westmorland and Furness Council (South Lakeland District Council) | 21 * |
Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council | 11 |
Wiltshire Council (Unitary) | 11 |
Winchester City Council | 11 |
Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council | 16 |
Woking Borough Council | 11 |
Wokingham District Council | 5 |
Wolverhampton City Council | 16 |
Worcester City Council | 11 |
Worthing Borough Council | 21 * |
Wrexham County Borough Council | 41 * |
Wychavon District Council | 11 |
Wyre Borough Council | 13 |
Wyre Forest District Council | 21 * |