Derelict Land

(asked on 24th June 2019) - View Source

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to make it easier and quicker for (a) local and (b) combined authorities to take ownership of unused brownfield sites through compulsory purchase with adequate compensation for owners to bring them back into economic use for (i) homes and (ii) employment and remove derelict properties from local communities.


Answered by
Kit Malthouse Portrait
Kit Malthouse
This question was answered on 1st July 2019

Local and combined authorities already have broad compulsory purchase powers, which can be used to bring brownfield land back into use. We have recently introduced wide-ranging reforms to make the Compulsory Purchase Order process clearer, fairer and faster. Our reforms in the Neighbourhood Planning Act 2017 and Housing and Planning Act 2016 include clarification of the ‘no scheme principle’ which underpins compensation for compulsory purchase, making it easier and quicker to establish the fair market value of sites. We are keen to let these important reforms bed-in, but will keep the operation of the system under review.

Reticulating Splines