Land and property owners along the abandoned HS2 route are being treated unfairly, Lichfield’s MP has said.
The second phase of the controversial high speed rail route beyond Handsacre was scrapped last year due to spiralling costs.
It means that many of those who were forced to leave their homes and businesses may have done so unnecessarily.
But Lichfield MP Sir Michael Fabricant told Rail Minister Huw Merriman in a House of Commons debate that not enough was being done to work with those who may now want to return to properties and land along the cancelled route.
The Minister replied:
“I can confirm that any land and property that was acquired for HS2 compulsorily or via statutory blight but is no longer required will be sold, subject to the Crichel Down rules.
“Those rules require government departments, under certain circumstances, to offer back surplus land and property for sale to the former owner, or their successors, at the current market value.
“I therefore assure my hon. Friend that we are ensuring that property is offered back at a fair price to original owners with first refusal.”
Huw Merriman
Sir Michael said HS2 needed to act more swiftly to return plots to their previous owners where necessary.
“There are a number of people and organisations in the Lichfield constituency who have had property or land taken off them by compulsory purchase for the construction of HS2 Phase 2a, Handsacre to Crewe.
“Many have still not been paid for the land while others – including those who have not yet been paid – have had no offer from HS2 to sell the land back to them now that it is no longer needed following the cancellation of the line.
“Huw Merriman was shocked by the slowness in making payments and was clear in his response at the end of the debate that land and property must be offered back to its original owners.
“I urge HS2 to stop prevaricating and promptly return the land to their rightful owners and at a fair price – if HS2 has actually got round to paying for it in the first place.”
Sir Michael Fabricant
