HS2 Compulsary Purchase Delay - Manchester Airport Link

[HS2 Victim]

Hi everyone
I am wondering if you are.able to help me understand a predicament my father in law is in with HS2.
He lives in a house that is a direct hit with the HS2 spur that will link into Manchester Airport hub.
He has been in limbo on this for up to 7 years since the route/ project was announced and this was initially one of several and later confirmed as the preferred route.
The situation is that he is now 74 years old, and needs to sell the house to officially retire as the house is quite large and needs upkeep, the house needs repair work and obviously with everything going on just isn't worth doing and hasn't been for several years - roof needs reroofing etc.
He has had an offer after negotiations and got to a reasonable place on that. Since he has found a new house and the seller has found one too, they want to complete late November.
His agent is getting no response from HS2 at all, no sight of any date to complete. He has had several bat surveys and another survey all paying £750 to £1500 each but nothing seems to be happening.

I dont have a specific questuon but am in search of more information or someone who has been through this.

Should we be concerned? Do we think this spur will happen? Does anyone have any experience of payouts? I'm concerned that this whole thing could be a complete waste of time? Any advise would be appreciated!!

Thanks

 

[Altfish]

Firstly, it isn't really a spur. It is the main line from London/Birmingham to Manchester Piccadilly.
I understood that all house owners had been contacted and 'compensation' offers made dependent on the distance from the line.

I'd contact your MP (Graham Brady?) and ask him for assistance.

 

[NotATrainspott]

The Airport spur is likely to happen, yes. It is indeed a spur, despite what Altfish says, because it's on the diverging route from the mainline. The mainline runs to just south of Wigan - it's designed so that in future, London-Scotland trains won't have to slow down once more of the high speed line is built through Lancashire.

What might be complicating matters is the need to consider the other major rail project in the north of England - this 'Northern Powerhouse Rail' or 'HS3' idea of an east-west line or series of major upgrades to existing routes. The Airport is one of the destinations that the promoters of NPR are trying to get the line to serve. To make that happen, it's possible there will be further tweaks which haven't yet been defined.

I can understand it being difficult. If the home was in perfectly liveable condition, then you'd be able to sell to a BTL landlord who won't mind it being CPO'ed at a later date, but there's not a lot of point in anyone investing money in it if it's likely to be bulldozed in a few years. The local MP is probably the best point of contact if HS2 Ltd aren't talking yet. Alternatively, or additionally, it might be worth getting in touch with the local press as there may well be other homeowners in a similar situation.

 

[OxtedL]

Consider contacting the Residents' Commissioner

 

[6Gman]

Consider contacting the Residents' Commissioner

What is a "Residents' Commissioner"?

 

[snowball]

What is a "Residents' Commissioner"?

Why not click on the link in the post you quoted? Then it will tell you.

 

[snowball]

Anything north of Crewe is part of HS2 phase 2b. The Bill for phase 2b is now unlikely to be introduced to Parliament before 2020. The Bill for phase 1 took over three years from introduction to Royal Assent. So any compulsory purchase near Manchester is unlikely before 2023. So the question is about planning blight and the possibility of compensation. There are pages about that here:

https://www.gov.uk/claim-compensation-if-affected-by-hs2/express-purchase-scheme

Apologies if you've already seen them.

 

[6Gman]

Why not click on the link in the post you quoted? Then it will tell you.

Well, firstly because I didn't see that there was a link. (Some of us may not be using crystal clear screens or may not immediately notice that some words are in blue.)
Secondly, the link is to her reports and doesn't really explain her role in relation to individual issues.

 

[rob793]

As a Lymm resident, I'm guessing your father has a property in Agden, Millington or Ashley? It may be your MP is Esther McVey?

Unfortunately I cannot offer any different advice from that posted above other than wish your father's situation is dealt with swiftly and without any additional turmoil. Are there any neighbours in a similar situation to discuss with?