Mass transit projects help to unlock economic opportunity, reduce road congestion and connect communities more efficiently. They are playing a key role in shaping the future of local transport with funding announced for light rail schemes in West Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, the West Midlands, as well as a recommitment of funding for major rail programmes such as East West Rail and Transpennine Route Upgrade. However, behind every successful new project is a layer of land and property complexity that many don’t see and delivering these projects is not just an engineering or construction challenge – it can also be a land and property challenge with a variety of interfaces and a complex web of existing infrastructure, landowners, utilities and interested stakeholders.
SLC Property specialise in delivering infrastructure projects by helping to navigate critical and complicated components like land and consents.
“Building better transport networks begins with securing land, so my key advice for anyone planning any type of linear rail scheme (rail, tram, metro, light rail or very light rail) would be to get property professionals involved from the feasibility stage of a transit scheme, which can significantly reduce project risk. Interrogation of specific issues should be considered as early as possible and not when construction is already scheduled,” explains Russell Mills, Managing Director of SLC Property.
“For instance, acquiring land in urban settings is rarely simple. As well as almost always involving the requirement for consents, such as Transport & Works Act Orders, they typically involve other infrastructure providers and statutory stakeholders, leading to issues that can be costly to rectify if not properly addressed. Each comes with its own rules, priorities and timelines. For example, a scheme may require additional consents and this will prove to be expensive if not properly assessed at an early stage.”
Our niche is securing complex rights and we regularly help clients with troubleshooting when original plans run into unforeseen obstacles, so we’re perfectly placed for helping any new scheme reduce cost and keep it on schedule or help with troublesome matters that remain unresolved, sometimes years after construction has started.
How we supported the Northumberland Line
We acquired over 100 land parcels/rights required to deliver the Northumberland Line and supported Northumberland County Council with its Transport and Works Act Order (TWAO) application to the Secretary of State, including acting as Witness at Inquiry for both land and planning matters.
How we supported University Station
We undertook all the land referencing for the various plots of land required for the redevelopment of University Station in the West Midlands and produced a land and consents strategy for the project. This was particularly complex, as it involved multiple interfaces and challenges. For example, the existing railway land is constrained by the Worcester & Birmingham Canal on one side and University of Birmingham land on the other. An additional complication is that the site is located on and adjacent to the Metchley Roman Fort, a Scheduled Ancient Monument and needed consultation with Historic England.
Russell concluded: “Given our intimate knowledge of these projects, we are also perfectly placed to advise clients where they are adversely affected by mass transit projects, helping to steer them through the complex and often stressful world of compulsory purchase.”
