HS2: New details of what land will be required to build high-speed rail announced
Landowners along the route of HS2 between London and Birmingham could find more or less of their land than previously suggested will actually be needed following an announcement today.
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Transport minister Patrcik McLoughlin has just unveiled (26 June 2014) revised “safeguarding” directions that tally more closely with the details of HS2 included in the controversial scheme’s Phase 1 Hybrid Bill, which is currently working its way through parliament.
Safeguarding directions cover a zone approximately 60m either side of the middle of the proposed route.
From a planning perspective they protect the land required for the project from other developments.
But more importantly for property owners they have an important bearing on what compensation schemes they could be eligible for.
Those within the safeguarding zone can serve the government with a Statutory Blight notice to acquire their property.
If they meet the relevant criteria they can expect to receive the ‘un-blighted’ open market value of their home, a home loss payment of 10% of the value of their home—up to £47,000—and reasonable moving costs, such as legal fees, and stamp duty on a replacement property.
The discretionary HS2 Express Purchase Scheme now applies in the surface safeguarded area. The scheme provides eligible property owners with the same compensation entitlement, whether or not their property is required for the scheme.
Where an area of land has been removed from the safeguarded area by these new safeguarding directions, the Express Purchase Scheme will remain available to owners of properties in that area – the extended homeowner protection zone – for five years.
"The changes to the safeguarding zone could be beneficial to some landowners who would previously just have missed out on some of the compensation options"
_James Del Mar
“It is essential to review these new plans to understand the implications for compensation eligibility and quantum and appropriate action going forwards,” he adds.