HS2 northern leg route to be safeguarded?

[Northern158170]

Apologies if this is in the wrong section of the forum or has already been discussed in another thread.

Found this embedded in an article in the North Yorkshire section of BBC news about a creative fund for North Yorkshire

'Bank of creativity' worth £50m may loan to northern businesses

A fund offering loans to creative businesses in northern England is touted at a mayoral summit.

www.bbc.co.uk

The key section is:

BBC Yorkshire understands the new government will set out detailed rail plans - including "safeguarding" land which was initially set aside for the northern leg of HS2 - once it has finished its transport policy review.

Interesting that this is embedded in an article which I can only find in the local news section about something completely unrelated. I therefore wonder if it's already been announced or whether it's just an ambition from the local governments

 

[Fazaar1889]

I think the routes are already safeguarded? I just hope they don't sell the land...

 

[Northern158170]

I thought the old government were already starting to sell it off. I hope they weren't though

 

[LickeyIncliner]

I thought the old government were already starting to sell it off. I hope they weren't though

I believe the Sunak government announced their intention of selling it off - as a scorched earth policy to prevent any revival of plans for HS2 north of Birmingham - but then found that they hadn't got the legal power to do so. But that may not have been the last word, even before the election...

 

[snowball]

I believe the Sunak government announced their intention of selling it off - as a scorched earth policy to prevent any revival of plans for HS2 north of Birmingham - but then found that they hadn't got the legal power to do so. But that may not have been the last word, even before the election...

I don't think there was a problem of not having the legal power to sell off.

There is a thing called the Crichel Down Rules which say that land compulsorily purchased and not now required must be offered first to the previous owner.

I don't know if they apply to land that exchanged hands voluntarily while under the threat of compulsory purchase.

However I think I read, some time around the date of the election, that no land had yet been sold off.

 

[Tezza1978]

However I think I read, some time around the date of the election, that no land had yet been sold off.

Huw Merriman said in an interview that none of the land had been sold off so Sunak's attempt to do so had failed.....

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Huw Merriman said in an interview that none of the land had been sold off so Sunak's attempt to do so had failed.....

But some of the Phase 2 route has been un-safeguarded.
I don't think the eastern leg was ever formally safeguarded as it had not been subjected to a Bill in parliament and its design was still in flux.
I'd be very surprised if the new government were to decide and announce anything new before the budget (Oct 30) and its linked major project review.

 

[Ben427]

Eastern leg land is safeguarded

 

[Energy]

But some of the Phase 2 route has been un-safeguarded.

Correct, specifically 2a. Removed safeguarding allows the local authority to use it in the local plan and for developers to apply for planning permission on the land. Though they can’t actually do anything with it until they purchase the land, which was never sold.

 

[snowball]

Correct, specifically 2a. Removed safeguarding allows the local authority to use it in the local plan and for developers to apply for planning permission on the land. Though they can’t actually do anything with it until they purchase the land, which was never sold.

And, surely, the southern part of 2b, that would not be part of NPR.