More help urged for homeowners hit by HS2 line

Significant support for the 225mph network in Yorkshire has contrasted with vocal opposition from people living near the route of the first phase of the line, from London to Birmingham.

But when the first details of the proposed route of the second phase of High Speed Two (HS2) – which will include a branch from Birmingham to Leeds via South Yorkshire – are published, there is likely to be anger from some of those near the line.

Now the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) is asking Ministers to reform current compulsory purchase order (CPO) rules to give more protection and security to property owners.

Dorothy Fairburn, regional director of the CLA, said: “The people whose homes and livelihoods are affected by HS2 are very upset but the security of a fair compensation deal could go some way to allaying their fears.

“A new approach is needed so that acquiring authorities and developers engage with property owners at the design stage and make provisions for extensive mitigation works on and off site.

“It is in everyone’s interest that, once a decision to compulsorily acquire land is made, everything is done to make the process as quick and painless as possible.”

The Government announced earlier this month that it is pressing ahead with the £32.7 billion HS2 project which promises to boost the region’s economy when the Leeds line opens in 2033. The project has been supported by this newspaper’s Fast Track to Yorkshire campaign, although there is disappointment that Birmingham and Manchester will benefit from faster journeys seven years before, when the leg to the Midlands opens in 2026 and links to the West Coast Main Line.

Until now, opposition from those along the London to Birmingham route has been in stark contrast to vocal support from business and political leaders in much of Yorkshire.

But in March Ministers will be handed a series of options for the branches north from Birmingham – one to South Yorkshire and Leeds and the other to Manchester. Publication of the Government’s favoured route is certain to spark opposition from those whose properties are affected.

The CLA says current rules do not do enough to help those whose properties may be blighted but are not knocked down. It wants bonds, where the Government would guarantee the price of a property and the owner would be able to cash in the bond at any point. A similar system was used by the British Airports Authority when a second runway was built at Heathrow.

Ms Fairburn said: “It may sometimes be necessary for the state to compulsorily acquire privately owned land but the current regime does not provide adequate protection for property owners who lose out as a result.

“The Secretary of State for Transport’s promise of additional protections for those affected is to be welcomed, but more mitigation reform is needed. The protections must be bolstered with a property purchase guarantee bond to address blight.”

A Department for Transport spokesman said: “A new high- speed rail network will provide Britain with the additional train seats, connections and speed to stay ahead of the congestion challenge and help create jobs, growth and prosperity for the entire country.

“Last week we announced a package of new measures to help those affected by HS2, including the introduction of a streamlined purchase scheme to simplify the statutory blight process for property owners and a refreshed hardship scheme. Those people potentially affected will have the opportunity to have their say when we launch a consultation on these issues in the Spring.

“We have decided not to pursue the option of a bond-based property purchase scheme as we believe it would impose an unreasonable burden on the taxpayer and may risk exacerbating blight.”