Elland Railway Station: Land compulsory purchase powers set to be used for new Yorkshire railway station

The new station is being added to the Calder Valley line to boost the town’s transport links with the wider region and beyond, including Leeds, Huddersfield, Bradford and Manchester, improving access to jobs, education and other opportunities.

Calderdale Council Cabinet members are asked to use already granted compulsory purchase powers (CPOs) to acquire the land – a 1.52 hectare site – off Lowfields Way on the northern side of the town.

The land, along with other parcels already owned by the council and others it aims to buy, will then be given to Network Rail to help enable work on the new station to progress.

When they meet next Monday, March 17, the senior councillors are asked to approve the making of a general vesting declaration – a statutory procedure allowing a council to acquire ownership of land and property.

This can then be transferred – along with land the council already owns and earmarked for the project – to Network Rail.

Councillors are also asked to approve voluntarily purchasing freehold of other land needed to develop the station.

They are told this land comprises two plots which is registered to a company called Routestone Limited.

However, that company has been dissolved and the land now belongs to the Crown and the purchase will need to be negotiated with the Government’s legal department which acts on these matters on the Crown’s behalf.

Regarding another parcel of land, the beneficiary, PPG Land Limited, has also become dissolved with the rights similarly transferring to the Crown and Cabinet is asked to approve starting negotiations to release this.

Councillors are then asked to agree the transfer of all the land to Network Rail to get the station developed.

The project to build the new station is being delivered by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority in partnership with Calderdale Council and surrounding works will include installing two new pedestrian and cycling bridges.

Last autumn, councillors worried about delays were told the station is due to be finished by late 2026.