Farming fears over changes to compulsory purchase order powers

A controversial element of the bill seeks to expand jurisdiction to remove value caused by the prospect of planning permissions, or "hope value" – a proposal introduced by the previous Conservative government in the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023.

However, the proposed changes would also see inspectors, councils and elected mayors able to make decisions on the removal of the "hope value", where there are no objections, where previously it could only be approved by the Secretary of State.

Underlining frustration over the impact of infrastructure developments involving compulsory purchase of farmland, Ms Hallos said many farmers were still awaiting compensation payments for the HS2, despite it having been under construction since 2019. She said: “There is a mistrust. There is a concern that people are not taking food production or agriculture seriously.

“My members and I genuinely believe that if somebody is going to make commercial gain from the compulsory purchase of that land, or potentially purchases some of it, making the rest of the business unviable, the person having the purchase order served on them should also be commercially rewarded so that they can continue and rebuild their life or business in another place. It is really important that we have that fairness with compulsory purchase orders.”

She added added another section of bill, which had “really sent shivers”, was giving Natural England the power to compulsorily purchase land.

Ms Hallos said: “This is about putting environmental goods on hold over here while you build something, but you recreate it over there. Wildlife biodiversity does not have borders or boundaries. It is among us.”

Highlighting the personal cost to farmers, Ms Hallos said compulsory purchase orders on farms took someone’s business and their home.

She said: “I am a tenant farmer; my landlord can do as they wish. In reality, I have few rights, so I understand what it is like to be a tenant farmer. If this will change the relationship between a landlord and a tenant, you have a very difficult situation. Of course, the tenant will have only a certain pool of money to take with them elsewhere to go and rent another farm.”

She added if demand for land in the area of a major development soared, it needed considering when land was compulsorily purchased from a farmer “if we are to go anywhere near rebuilding confidence and trust between the agricultural community and government”. Ms Hallos said: “Especially if we put it in the package of everything else that is going on, we are very much in danger of having it go “bang” again. This has to stop. We all have to get on with life. We all have to get on with what we do – produce food, infrastructure or growth for the country.”