Your property and blight: what to do if property value is reduced because of major public works
Julia Madden, 27th February, 2017
Highways England have recently updated its Your property and blight booklet. Which is designed to help you understand what you can do if you believe your house is blighted by major new trunk road proposals or improvements.
What is ‘blight’?
Blight is when the value of a property is reduced because of large scale, or major, public works.
It makes it difficult for homeowners to sell their properties at market value and they often have to sell at a much lower price.
Under the Town and Country Act 1990 (as amended), Highways England, a government-owned company set up to look after England’s motorways and major A-roads, has legislative powers to purchase blighted land. Meaning that home and landowners can sell their property to them at market value.
Your property and blight booklet
Your property and blight provides guidance on what homeowners can do if their house is blighted by a major new trunk road proposal or improvements.
It is also relevant to owner-occupiers of certain business premises and owner-occupiers of agricultural units.
The booklet includes advice on:
Who can serve a blight notice How a blight notice is served on the Secretary of State for Transport How HE process the blight notice Whether a counter-notice can be appealed against What compensation is payable How to complain or appeal
You can find out more and download the HE booklet here.
Need advice? Get in touch today
Please call Julia Madden on 01482 324252.
Or email Julia here.
You can find out more about our Conveyancing service here.
