Information provided by the unit includes road status, road agreements, road, traffic and railway schemes, proposed parking restrictions, one way driving, compulsory purchase, rights of way and outstanding statutory notices (under legislation relating to building works, environment, health and safety, housing and highways) and common land and village greens. 

Much of this information is vital if you are buying a property and we have the information at hand. 98% of searches are returned electronically to district councils within 24 hours.

To ensure the service provided by the Unit is always accurate, it is also responsible for maintaining the highways map, the statutory List of Streets, the Dorset Street Gazetteer, the Provisional Maps of common land and village greens and the Definitive Map of Rights of Way. To ensure that the highway records are always up to date, the unit is in charge of issuing formal road adoption and re-classification notices, stopping up of highway under the Highways Act 1980 and distributing information relating to changes to the Definitive Map of Rights of Way.

• Land Charge and Commons Registration services

  Commons Registration Searches are now electronic!

• Access to legal agreements - charges for copy documents

• DCC - Access and charging arrangements

  Access and charging arrangements and fees for searches from 1 April 2010