Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 40
40
Deferred
Full disposal of HS2 surplus land dependent on future rail strategy decisions
Conclusion
However, the Department told us that overall decisions need to be made on future rail investment first. It explained that the government’s long– term strategy being developed for strategic rail investment, including on improvements to rail connectivity in the north of England, may affect what land is bought or sold or safeguarded. It expects the timetable for decisions to be made on the strategy “as a matter of months, not a matter of years”. There was some land that it was very confident would not be required under any plausible scheme, and so it would look to release those in a “sensible and sensitive way, so that communities don’t suffer that 66 C&AG’s Report, para 2.12 and Fig 4 67 Committee of Public Accounts, HS2 and Euston, Tenth Report of Session 2023–24, HC 67, 7 February 2024 68 Department for Transport, HS2 6-monthly report to Parliament: December 2024, 17 December 2024 22 detriment, and so the Exchequer gets the revenue back” 69 The Department expects that fully disposing of land and property no longer needed will take several years to complete.70
Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the conclusion, stating that preparatory work for a Phase 2 land disposal programme is underway, and it will include its approach to addressing future West Coast Main Line capacity and northern rail connectivity in a future six-monthly report, following the outcome of the spending review.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: Summer 2025 Preparatory work on a disposal programme for Phase 2 is already underway. As part of these preparations, the department is undertaking a review of the portfolio of land that was previously acquired for Phase 2. This includes the identification of properties subject to Crichel Down Rules. The department will write to the Committee to confirm the next steps for a disposal programme. The Department will take time to carefully develop a disposal programme that delivers value for money for taxpayers and does not disrupt local property markets. The department agrees to include the information requested by the Committee regarding the disposal programme in a future six-monthly report to Parliament. As part of this update, the department will include its approach to addressing future West Coast Main Line capacity issues and rail connectivity in the north, following the outcome of the spending review.