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| Homeowners affected by HS2 to get access to hardship fund | |
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| Homeowners living along the proposed path of the high-speed rail link will be given access to a hardship scheme if they are unable to sell their house, even if is outside the area earmarked for development, the government has said. | Homeowners living along the proposed path of the high-speed rail link will be given access to a hardship scheme if they are unable to sell their house, even if is outside the area earmarked for development, the government has said. |
| Since plans to build the HS2 link joining London with the north of England were first announced, homeowners along the anticipated route have reported problems finding buyers for their homes, and there have been growing concerns that some properties would become unsellable. | Since plans to build the HS2 link joining London with the north of England were first announced, homeowners along the anticipated route have reported problems finding buyers for their homes, and there have been growing concerns that some properties would become unsellable. |
| A consultation scheme on compensation arrangements for properties affected proposes compensation that goes "above and beyond what is required by law" as a result of "the exceptional impact of the construction of HS2". | A consultation scheme on compensation arrangements for properties affected proposes compensation that goes "above and beyond what is required by law" as a result of "the exceptional impact of the construction of HS2". |
| Under the plans the government will introduce a streamlined system of voluntary purchase for people whose homes are in a "safeguarded area" within 60 metres of the rail link. | Under the plans the government will introduce a streamlined system of voluntary purchase for people whose homes are in a "safeguarded area" within 60 metres of the rail link. |
| There will be a sale-and-rent-back scheme so those whose homes will be demolished to complete the scheme can sell their property but continue to live in it until it is knocked down, and a hardship scheme to help those between London and the West Midlands who live outside the safeguarded area but are still unable to sell their home as result of the construction. | There will be a sale-and-rent-back scheme so those whose homes will be demolished to complete the scheme can sell their property but continue to live in it until it is knocked down, and a hardship scheme to help those between London and the West Midlands who live outside the safeguarded area but are still unable to sell their home as result of the construction. |
| Applicants to the hardship scheme will need to show they have made "all reasonable efforts" to sell – the property will need to have been on the market for at least 12 months prior to an application being made, with no offer received within 15% of the price it would have fetched without HS2 going ahead. They will also need to show they have a pressing need to move. If they can, the government will buy their property at the normal market price. | Applicants to the hardship scheme will need to show they have made "all reasonable efforts" to sell – the property will need to have been on the market for at least 12 months prior to an application being made, with no offer received within 15% of the price it would have fetched without HS2 going ahead. They will also need to show they have a pressing need to move. If they can, the government will buy their property at the normal market price. |
| The government said past experience of large infrastructure projects had "shown the effect on local property markets is at its highest during the planning, design and construction phase of a project" and that the real impact was consistently less than feared. | The government said past experience of large infrastructure projects had "shown the effect on local property markets is at its highest during the planning, design and construction phase of a project" and that the real impact was consistently less than feared. |
| James Del Mar, head of estate agent Knight Frank's HS2 team, said property owners should find out which zone their home was in and respond to the consultation if they were unhappy with the compensation arrangements. | James Del Mar, head of estate agent Knight Frank's HS2 team, said property owners should find out which zone their home was in and respond to the consultation if they were unhappy with the compensation arrangements. |
| "Whether the 60-metre safeguarding strip will be adequate along the entire route is debatable, but it does seem wrong that the 'sale-and-leaseback' scheme only applies to those whose houses will need to be actually demolished. Other properties should also qualify," he said. | "Whether the 60-metre safeguarding strip will be adequate along the entire route is debatable, but it does seem wrong that the 'sale-and-leaseback' scheme only applies to those whose houses will need to be actually demolished. Other properties should also qualify," he said. |
| "There are still going to be many people who will not qualify for any form of compensation for the loss in value of their homes caused by HS2 until a year after the line has been operational. That strikes me as iniquitous, particularly to those who live outside the voluntary purchase zone and want to move home, but will not qualify for the revised hardship scheme even though HS2 has reduced the value of their homes." | "There are still going to be many people who will not qualify for any form of compensation for the loss in value of their homes caused by HS2 until a year after the line has been operational. That strikes me as iniquitous, particularly to those who live outside the voluntary purchase zone and want to move home, but will not qualify for the revised hardship scheme even though HS2 has reduced the value of their homes." |
| When the government announced its plans to go ahead with the route, which will eventually see trains running at speeds of up to 225mph to Manchester and Leeds, it said more than 65% of the 55,000 responses to its consultations had mentioned property. | When the government announced its plans to go ahead with the route, which will eventually see trains running at speeds of up to 225mph to Manchester and Leeds, it said more than 65% of the 55,000 responses to its consultations had mentioned property. |
| HS2 and house prices: what the high-speed rail link means to you | HS2 and house prices: what the high-speed rail link means to you |