Call for owners to register land

Landowners and farmers have been urged to secure land not registered in Wiltshire.

Approximately 120,000 hectares in the county is unregistered, the Land Registry investigation has revealed.

Landowners in Wiltshire were invited to sign up for a voluntary registration scheme to identify and register what they own.

Andy Woodgate, register development spokesman, said the aim is to make registration an easy process.

He said: "We want to raise awareness in rural communities of how registering land modernises and simplifies existing information, reduces the amount of title paperwork and may save time and money in future by reducing the need for legal administration.

"We are delighted that 60% of land in Wiltshire, Somerset and Dorset is now registered and would urge all other landowners and farmers to think about registering their land."

Once registered, owners have the title to their land guaranteed by the state, making buying and selling simpler.

The registration means landowners will know the administration of their land holding is in good order, with key information in one place and easy to access, on Land Registry's system.