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West London habitat creation in in the Borough of Hillingdon.
West London habitat creation in in the Borough of Hillingdon.

Access to land and property

What we do

Our land and property team arranges access to private land so we can complete surveys along the HS2 route.

Before Royal Assent, we carry out surveys under a licence. After Royal Assent, we use powers in the High Speed Rail Act.

These surveys help us build a detailed picture of the natural environment along the route. The data helps us reduce HS2’s environmental impact.

Land referencing

We identify who owns and occupies the land we need. This is called land referencing. It helps us understand who is affected and keeps records for future bill deposits.

We also handle all payments for this work.

London to West Midlands

We carry out surveys using powers in the High Speed Rail (London -West Midlands) Act 2017.

West Midlands to Crewe

The High Speed Rail (West Midlands – Crewe) Act received Royal Assent in February 2021. Land access licence activity has ended and most licence agreements have expired, apart from a few legacy licences. We carry out surveys using powers in the Act.

Crewe to Manchester

We carry out any surveys needed under a licence. You will be paid for any licences you agree to.

Read our payment schedule for land access licences

If you receive land access licence documents, read them carefully, then sign and return the licence or LIQ.

Any parties impacted by ground investigation decommissioning work will be contacted directly. If you have any questions about the decommissioning of ground investigations please contact the HS2 Helpdesk.

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