Compulsory Purchase
We have a wide range of experience in acting both for clients who wish to use their powers of compulsory purchase and those who are subject to a compulsory purchase order. Our experience of both sides of the process helps us to give well rounded, practical advice to all our clients throughout the process.
Acting for promoters of CPO schemes
We have acted for the acquiring authority on the compulsory purchase of land required to construct a flood alleviation scheme. This involved drafting the compulsory purchase order for over 300 plots of land, together with the statement of reasons, all notices and advertisements and assisting with the investigation of title in conjunction with the land agents. We also drafted the necessary stopping up orders and footpath diversion orders so that the process ran in parallel with the compulsory purchase order.
We advised a development corporation on three separate compulsory purchase orders for regeneration schemes; a mixed use residential led scheme, a mixed use leisure led scheme to create a destination of regional importance and a town centre regeneration scheme. We assisted with strategic advice, assessing the likelihood of success, title investigations, drafting of the various resolutions and drafting the compulsory purchase orders and notices.
We have advised several national utility companies on the use of compulsory purchase powers to lay new and divert existing gas pipelines.
We have also acted for the acquiring authority advising on compensation issues including a reference to the Lands Tribunal following the acquisition of premises for the 2012 Olympic Games.
Acting for objectors to CPO schemes
We have advised a national petroleum company on compensation issues following the compulsory acquisition of a number of petrol stations around the UK including obtaining advance payments of compensation and references to the Lands Tribunal.
We assisted an international bank in its objection to the compulsory acquisition of its land as part of the extension of the Docklands Light Railway securing an agreement acceptable to our client.
