High Speed 2 is to launch a hunt for three advisers to support its land valuation and acquisition and handing back land that is no longer required.
It is seeking to create a framework of suppliers to help it acquire land, take possession and negotiate compensation.
This will also involve handing back land and property owned by HS2 that is no longer required.
It will include negotiating with owners of residential property, agricultural holdings, commercial properties and community facilities, in order to deliver the £106bn infrastructure project.
A £21m contract will support delivery of HS2 phase one for an initial period of four years, with the option to extend a further four years. Each package will cover a different geographic region on the 140-mile route.
The procurement is a scaled-down version of a £35m contract that was due to be awarded in January 2020. Instead, HS2 has opted to retain existing partners on the current live business, with the new contracts focused on new land transactions. It now expects to award the new contracts by January 2021.
HS2’s acquisition strategy has come under fire for ongoing delays as well as late payments.
Last year, EG revealed that more than 40% of compulsory purchase payments to freeholders were paid late. The company attributed the bulk of delays (81%) to owners not providing the necessary information, but added that many (19%) were a result of internal governance and supplier delays.
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