Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 41
41
Accepted
Committee urges sympathetic handling of property offers back to former HS2 owners
Recommendation
We pressed the Department to ensure that wherever possible, properties should be offered back to the persons from whom they were purchased, and that requests from people who would like to move back into their former homes be handled sympathetically, given that it can take years for cases to be considered through the Crichel Down rules. We raised the case of properties where decisions were still waiting to be made from earlier changes to the HS2 route, such as around Sheffield which was cancelled in 2021 as part of the Department’s Integrated Rail Plan for the North and Midlands.71
Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the recommendation and states that preparatory work is underway for a Phase 2 land disposal programme, which includes identifying Crichel Down properties. It commits to confirming next steps to the Committee and providing updates in future reports, while developing a programme that delivers value for money and avoids market disruption.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
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.