Highway land search

Highway land search

This page provides guidelines on applications for the following (please click the highlighted text):

1. Highway land search at this Council in respect of any land or street in the City of Westminster.
   
   
2. Authority (by licence or an order) to carry out permitted development within the boundary of a highway in the City of Westminster:
   
   
   • development that stops up a highway - section 247 Town and Country Planning Act 1990
   • construction of part of a building over a highway - section 177  Highways Act 1980
   • construction of part of a building under a highway - section 179 Highways Act 1980
   • installation of an access hatch, smoke extract panels and pavement lights in the highway - section 180 Highways Act 1980
   • installation of public art in a footway - section 115E Highways Act 1980
   • cordoning frontages to public houses and the like for smoking areas - section 115 Highways Act 1980
     
     
3. Licence to copy the design of street name plates in the City of Westminster

Applications packs for highway licences from other sources:

• crossover construction in a footway by telephoning 020 7641 2000
• s50 New Roads & Street Works Act 1991 (street works licence) by telephoning the Street Works Team on 020 7641 3925
• street trading and highway licensing (builders' operations on the highway) skip, scaffold, temporary crossover, hoarding, building materials, temporary traffic orders, mobile crane operations at www.westminster.gov.uk/Licensing

The section 31A Highways Act 1980 register records statements, plans and statutory declarations deposited under section 31(6) of the Highways Act 1980. Open that page to download guidelines on registration (click on the link in the left side column. 

Applications to register a freehold or leasehold interest in premises (vaults, etc.) under a highway should be made to the Land Registry. If that body progresses the application they will serve a statutory notice on all prospective interested parties including adjacent land owners and the highway authority. Those bodies may object to the registration or agree with reservations; such as if the sought interest would conflict with present rights in the land.

This page is provided by the Transportation Department 10th floor, Westminster City Council, City Hall, 64 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 6QP, VICTORIA

Director: Martin Low

The contact officer is the Technical Assistant and is available on:

Telephone: 020 7641 2642 
E-mail: jperkins@westminster.gov.uk

[Back to top]