Compulsory Purchase and Compensation
Where a council, highway authority or other public body proposes to acquire some or all of your land, we can manage your compensation claim from the first notice to final settlement. The acquiring authority often meets a claimant's reasonable professional fees.
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- Regulated by RICS
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- Fees are often paid by the acquiring authority
Check If Your Fees May Be Covered
Answer three quick questions about the letter or the works. If it looks like the company or authority may pay your fees, you can ask us to call you back.
Or call us: 07857 877925Who We Act For
We act for landowners, farmers and businesses across the North West whose land is affected by a compulsory purchase order, or by a scheme for which an authority has indicated that it may use compulsory purchase powers.
Our director, Luke Banks MRICS FAAV, brings more than a decade of experience as a Chartered Surveyor and Land Agent to each claim.
Our Compensation Claim Service
- reviewing the order, the notices and the extent of the land to be acquired
- assessing your claim, which may include the value of the land, the effect on the land you retain, disturbance and loss payments
- negotiating compensation with the acquiring authority
What Compulsory Purchase Compensation Covers
Compensation is governed by statute, principally the Land Compensation Act 1961, the Compulsory Purchase Act 1965 and the Land Compensation Act 1973. A claim is usually made up of the following elements:
- Land taken. Its market value: the price it might achieve on the open market from a willing seller, disregarding the effect of the scheme itself.
- Severance and injurious affection. Any reduction in value of the land you retain, for example where a field is divided in two.
- Disturbance. Losses and costs not based on land value, such as relocating livestock or loss of business.
- Loss payments. Additional statutory payments for owners and occupiers, set out below.
- Professional fees. The acquiring authority often meets a claimant's reasonable professional fees, depending on the authority and the scheme.
Basic and Occupier's Loss Payments Since February 2026
The Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 changed loss payments in England from 18 February 2026. The new figures apply where notice of the order was given on or after that date. These are statutory limits on the compensation payable.
- Basic loss payment: 2.5% of the value of your interest, up to £25,000, for anyone who has held a freehold or tenancy for at least a year.
- Occupier's loss payment for farmland: the greatest of 7.5% of the value of your interest, a land amount or a buildings amount, up to £75,000.
- Land amount: the greater of £900 or £300 a hectare for the first 100 hectares, then £150 a hectare for the next 300.
- Buildings amount: £75 per square metre of gross floor space.
Schemes notified before 18 February 2026 retain the earlier figures, including a basic loss payment of 7.5% up to £75,000.
Advance Payments of Compensation
You need not wait for the claim to be settled. Under section 52 of the Land Compensation Act 1973:
- you may apply in writing once the purchase has been authorised
- the payment is 90% of the agreed compensation, or 90% of the authority's estimate
- the authority must pay once it has given notice of entry or vested the land
- payment is due by then, or within two months of your request if that is later
Time Limits for Compensation Claims
A disputed claim must generally be referred to the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) within six years. The period usually runs from the date the authority took possession, or from the vesting date where it used a general vesting declaration.
When You First Hear of a Scheme
- Do not sign anything or agree a figure at this stage.
- Retain the letters, notices and plans you receive.
- Take dated photographs of the land, buildings, drains and access.
- Keep cropping records, accounts and a note of any costs the scheme causes.
These records form the foundation of a claim, and they are far harder to assemble years later.
How We Work
- Contact us as soon as you hear of the scheme, even if nothing has yet been decided.
- We review the proposals and explain your rights.
- We prepare the claim and negotiate with the authority through to settlement.
How Long Compulsory Purchase Takes
Compulsory purchase schemes can take several years from the first letter to the final payment.
Next Step
Call us on 07857 877925 or request a call back. Please have any letters, notices and plans from the authority to hand.
Common Questions
What can I claim for under compulsory purchase?
The principal elements of a claim are the market value of the land taken, any reduction in value of the land you retain, disturbance costs such as relocation or loss of business, and statutory loss payments. Which of these apply will depend on your particular circumstances, and we will assess each element with you at the outset.
When should I seek advice?
As soon as you become aware of a scheme, even before an order has been made. Early advice allows you to keep the records on which a claim depends, and helps you avoid agreeing terms prematurely. It also gives time to understand the scheme and its likely effect on your land and business.
Does the acquiring authority pay my Surveyor's fees?
Often, yes. Acquiring authorities often meet a claimant's reasonable professional fees for preparing and negotiating a compensation claim. Whether a particular authority will pay, and to what extent, depends on the authority and the scheme. We confirm the position with the authority before any work begins, so you know where you stand before committing to anything.
What is a basic loss payment?
A basic loss payment is made in addition to the value of the land taken, to anyone who has held a freehold or tenancy in it for at least a year. In England, where notice of the order was given on or after 18 February 2026, it is 2.5% of the value of your interest, up to £25,000. Schemes notified earlier use the previous figures of 7.5%, up to £75,000.
What is an occupier's loss payment for farmland?
If you have occupied farmland for at least a year and it is acquired, you may also receive an occupier's loss payment. In England, where notice of the order was given on or after 18 February 2026, it is the greatest of 7.5% of the value of your interest, an amount per hectare of land taken, or an amount per square metre of buildings, up to £75,000.
Can I receive compensation before my claim is settled?
Yes. Once the purchase has been authorised, you may request an advance payment from the acquiring authority in writing. It is 90% of the agreed compensation or, where nothing is agreed, 90% of the authority's own estimate. The authority must pay once it has taken entry or vested the land, or within two months of your request and information if that is later.
Is there a time limit for a compulsory purchase claim?
Yes. A disputed claim must generally be referred to the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) within six years. Depending on how the land was acquired, the period usually runs from the date the authority took possession or from the vesting date. It is important to note this from the outset, so that the deadline does not pass while negotiations continue.
What if only part of my farm is acquired?
You may claim for the land taken and for any reduction in value of the land you retain, known as severance and injurious affection. This covers matters such as a field divided in two, a longer route to your buildings, lost water supplies or drainage, or the effect of a new road or works alongside your land. Disturbance costs may also be claimed.
Reviewed by Luke Banks MRICS FAAV, RICS Registered Valuer, on .
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