Following the recent announcement with regard to HS2 Phase 2B (Crewe to Manchester), HS2 Ltd are now aiming to deposit the Phase 2B Hybrid Bill in Parliament in 2019 with the aim to have Royal Assent granted by the end of 2022 and this will allow construction to begin in 2026.
HS2 Ltd has now appointed Mouchel as a lead contractor for the land referencing work. Rostons are aware that Mouchel have already started to approach some land owners/ occupiers in Cheshire, which have been identified for winter environmental survey work, such as for over wintering bird populations and some reptiles. The environmental surveys will be contracted to a number of specialist contractors.
HS2 Ltd currently has no statutory or compulsory purchase powers at this stage. However, they will therefore be looking to secure agreement from landowners and occupiers to take access using licence agreements similar to those that were used in Phase 2A.
The payments due to landowners and occupiers will depend upon the type of environmental survey and the activities on the land.
Tom Selby of Rostons a leading rural land agency and compensation experts based in the North West stated, “Those landowners who have particular concerns, which in my opinion would be all effected landowners, should look to engage with HS2 Ltd representatives as soon as possible. Rostons who represent landowners/occupiers will be contacting HS2 in order to start discussions sooner, rather than later. Ensuring that landowners/occupiers have the right agent working on their behalf is the key to the future of any farming business.”