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News Release from: Chartered Institute of Building [CIOB] | Subject: Crossrail land acquisition
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial
Team on 07 December 2005
Compromise over Crossrail land
acquisition?
Bill is due to be examined by Select Committees in the Commons and the Lords and they will no doubt impose some restraint on the Secretary of State's ambitions
As the Crossrail conference was told when the draft legislation was first published, the Bill could be described as a glorified compulsory purchase order These powers of acquisition are currently vested in the Secretary of State for Transport but they could be - and probably will be if the Bill becomes law - transferred to Transport for London
This article was originally published on Buildingtalk on 12 Dec 2005 at 8.00am (UK)
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The draconian nature of these powers taken together with the intention to compel the Office of Rail Regulation to give primacy to Crossrail, as illustrated by the plans for access to Heathrow Airport, are a remarkable expression of the executive power.
Fortunately the Bill is due to be examined by Select Committees in the Commons and the Lords and they will no doubt impose some restraint on the Secretary of State's ambitions.
The review in this edition of the Hammerson petition against the Bill coupled with similar objections from Great Portland Estates reveals that an agreed scheme for construction of the Bond Street station in London's West End has without agreement been amplified into a proposal to acquire the freehold of properties in Hanover Square.
As the owners maintain, it is not necessary to go this far since basically what is required is access to the ground floor of premises due for reconstruction under a scheme approved by the planning authority.
But the implication of the clauses as drafted is that the transport authorities should retain ownership of these valuable freeholds taken under restrictive compensation provisions and that later the site could be redeveloped under the changed ownership.
Intentions of this kind have understandably provoked strong resistance from the owners of such premium sites.
Similar acquisitive proposals at Canary Wharf and on the historic Grosvenor Estates have also been disclosed by petitions now before the House of Commons.
There are now however indications that the Department of Transport is willing to negotiate a way through the impending impasse on the positive terms the companies are offering to support construction of the railway at least cost.
Resolution of these issues before the turn of the year would certainly save the Bill from becoming an expensive and time consuming Parliamentary battleground.
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