English Heritage is working in collaboration with ALGAO and IHBC in a five year project to build a Heritage Gateway to England's local and national historic environment records (find out more about the partners). A key objective is to develop the flexibility to provide integrated access to local and national heritage information resources as part of the programme of reforms proposed by Government in the draft Heritage Protection Bill.

A prototype website was first made available in April 2006 after a year of planning and development. This provided access to a boundary map of England's Historic Environment Records (HERs), with contact information and news articles as well as local education and outreach project information.

A mechanism to cross-search live local and national datasets has been developed for the website from May 2007. More datasets are being linked to this search as the project progresses. Current national datasets include:

• Listed Buildings Online – the List of buildings of architectural or historic interest online
• Images of England – contemporary colour photographs of England’s Listed Buildings
• PastScape – information about England’s archaeological and architectural heritage
• ViewFinder – historic photographs of England
• NMR Excavation Index – a guide to the archaeological excavations and interventions carried out in England