Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the estimate was for the (a) cost for the acquisition of properties and (b) number of properties needed to be acquired for the delivery of HS2 Phase One in (i) February 2017 and (ii) the most recent period for which data is available.

The estimate for the cost for the acquisition of properties for the delivery of Phase One of HS2 in February 2017 was £4,402m (excl. contingency) at March 2015 prices (1Q15).

It is not practicable to provide an estimate for the number of properties that have been acquired for the delivery of Phase One; it is land parcels that are required for delivery and so that is what is recorded. There is 68.7km² of land within Phase One Act limits. As of 31st October 2023, 49.6km² has been permanently acquired and 8.9km² has been taken temporarily. HS2 Ltd has served all notices required for the compulsory acquisition of land for the construction and operation of Phase One of the railway and no further land needs to be acquired. Some additional properties may be acquired if the property owners submit a successful application to one of the HS2 property schemes.