Highways Act 1980

261 Benefit to vendor to be taken into account in assessing compensation on certain compulsory acquisitions for highway purposes. E+W

(1) Subject to subsection (3) below, in assessing the compensation payable in respect of the compulsory acquisition of land by a highway authority under section 239 above (except subsection (6) thereof), section 240 above, section 246 above or section 250(2) above, the [F1 Upper Tribunal]—

(a) shall have regard to the extent to which the remaining contiguous lands belonging to the same person may be benefited by the purpose for which the land is authorised to be acquired;

(b) without prejudice to the generality of paragraph (a) above, shall in the case of land authorised to be acquired for widening a highway set off against the value of the land to be acquired any increase in the value of other land belonging to the same person which will accrue to him by reason of the creation of a frontage to the highway as widened; and

(c) shall take into account, and embody in its award, any undertaking given by the highway authority as to the use to which the land, or any part of it, will be put.

(2) Without prejudice to subsection (1) above, in assessing the compensation payable on a compulsory acquisition by virtue of section 252(3)(a) above the [F1 Upper Tribunal] shall take into account, and embody in its award, any undertaking given by the acquiring authority as to rights of user or occupation, or other rights, which they are willing to accord to the landowner (or to him and his successors) as respects the land referred to in section 252(2) above.

(3) Where a highway authority, by virtue of section 250(1) above, compulsorily acquire rights under section 239 above (except subsection (6) thereof), section 240 above or section 246 above, then in assessing the compensation payable in respect of the acquisition the [F1 Upper Tribunal]—

(a) shall have regard to the extent to which the land over which the right in question is, or is to be, acquired, or any contiguous land belonging to the same person, may be benefited by the purpose for which the right may be authorised to be acquired;

(b) shall, in the case of a right acquired, or to be acquired, in connection with the widening of a highway, take into account as abatement of compensation any increase in the value of the land, or of other land belonging to the same person, which will accrue by reason of the creation of a frontage to the highway as widened; and

(c) shall take into account, and embody in its award, any undertaking given by the highway authority as to the manner in which the right will be exercised.

(4) Where by a compulsory purchase order made in the exercise of a relevant power a highway authority acquire two or more rights over land belonging to the same person, or acquire not only rights (one or more) but also adjoining or adjacent land so belonging, then in applying subsection (1) or subsection (3) above the [F1 Upper Tribunal] shall consider together the compensation payable in respect of both or all of the rights or, as the case may be, in respect of the right or rights and also the adjoining or adjacent land.

In this subsection “relevant power” means a power under any provision of this Act to which subsection (1) or (3) above relates.

(5) In assessing the compensation payable in respect of the compulsory acquisition by a highway authority under section 241 above of land lying between an improvement line and the boundary of a street, the [F1 Upper Tribunal] shall take into account any benefit accruing to the vendor by reason of the improvement of the street except in so far as it may have been previously taken into account in the assessment of compensation payable under section 73(9) above.

(6) Section 5 of the M1 Land Compensation Act 1961 shall, in its application to compulsory acquisition by a highway authority under a provision to which subsection (1), (3) or (5) above relates, have effect subject to subsection (1), (3) or (5) as the case may be.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 261(1)(2)(3)(4)(5) substituted (1.6.2009) by The Transfer of Tribunal Functions (Lands Tribunal and Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2009 (S.I. 2009/1307), art. 5(1)(2), Sch. 1 para. 134 (with art. 5(6), Sch. 5)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 261 modified by Dartford–Thurrock Crossing Act 1988 (c. 20, SIF 59), ss. 2, 19, Sch. 2 Pt. II para. 7

C2 S. 261 modified (13.2.1992) by Severn Bridges Act 1992 (c. 3), s. 2(6), Sch. 2 Pt. II para. 6

C3 S. 261(1)(3)(4)(6) modified (1.4.2018) by The Sub-national Transport Body (Transport for the North) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/103), regs. 1(2), 12(g)(vii)

C4 S. 261(2) modified by Dartford–Thurrock Crossing Act 1988 (c. 20, SIF 59), ss. 2, 19, Sch. 2 Pt. II para. 2(3)(c)

C5 S. 261(2) modified (1.4.2018) by The Sub-national Transport Body (Transport for the North) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/103), regs. 1(2), 12(i)

Marginal Citations

M1 1961 c. 33.