Ministers seem set to approve controversial privatisation plans for the Land Registry, a move which could spell the end of local authority control over land charges.

According to Whitehall documents obtained by newspapers, senior civil servants responsible for the consultation over the 150 year-old body which oversees the ownerships of land and property are debating the merits of full and part-privatisation plans.

Business minister, Michael Fallon, has previously stated all options - including the ‘as-is' scenario for maintaining the Land Registry as a public sector executive agency - would be put out for public consultation before any decision was made.