Highways England Compound Rental

[teslacoils]

If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.

I know f all about planning. I expect my planning consultants to know more than the local authority head of planning.

This is a solid maxim. Farmers hate the idea of paying people more than they earn. Here my view is that taken as a whole £200 an hour will be a good investment.

If you don't like the agent they are happy to pay £120 an hour, and yours is £150, then pay the £30 extra yourself.

I'm reminded of the song Jump Around by House of Pain. "If you come to battle bring a shotgun!" These folk are jumped up clipboard lackeys, and you will sleep better knowing you own the biggest cock on the table. As when they state their positions, you want your paid proxy to slap his massive cock on the counter when the willies get waved around.

That's just how it is.

 

[Goweresque]

Something really odd about this the more you describe.
3 years planning for a project which could take 3 years to complete. No money so far? They need 25 acres which is probably enough to build a medium airport and they are offering you only £7/acre /month??
And the agents fee is too high?
If it is as described you should be with one of the big firms. I think there is a lot more to this.

Yes something doesn't add up. The Highways Agency may be hard to deal with but they aren't highway robbers either. Nor do they employ the VOA to say landowners agents are too expensive.

OP, are you absolutely sure that who you are dealing with is who you think they are? I mean anyone can get a few letterheads made up. The fact you have been subject to a scam in the past makes me wonder if your name is known in the con artist world, and you are being targeted by another bunch of scammers.

 

[puppet]

You sure you are not about to have 200,000 tyres dumped on you?

 

[Compshire Farmer]

Is there a genuine large scale road project planned for your area that you know of and that would require a large works site?
as anything of any scale must be fairly well known about due to local plans, consultation, people objecting, local council must know of anything going on of any major size road wise, I’m sure if we had a major road project going on or that required something of anywhere near a 25 acre work site within say a 10 mile radius of here it would be pretty widely known about and discussed locally, these things don’t just happen overnight!!

 

[Compshire Farmer]

Also local land agents and other farmers/landowners might have an idea what’s happening as it might involve other land being taken if it’s a major road improvement, talk to others locally and ask about!

 

[RedTractor6761]

Yes something doesn't add up. The Highways Agency may be hard to deal with but they aren't highway robbers either. Nor do they employ the VOA to say landowners agents are too expensive.

OP, are you absolutely sure that who you are dealing with is who you think they are? I mean anyone can get a few letterheads made up. The fact you have been subject to a scam in the past makes me wonder if your name is known in the con artist world, and you are being targeted by another bunch of scammers.

A valid point Goweresque, but I'm afraid that I am certain this is a valid project and I'm dealing with people from HE and many of their agents!

 

[RedTractor6761]

Is there a genuine large scale road project planned for your area that you know of and that would require a large works site?
as anything of any scale must be fairly well known about due to local plans, consultation, people objecting, local council must know of anything going on of any major size road wise, I’m sure if we had a major road project going on or that required something of anywhere near a 25 acre work site within say a 10 mile radius of here it would be pretty widely known about and discussed locally, these things don’t just happen overnight!!

Yes, there is a valid project nearby and I was due to attend some public hearings etc. but they were cancelled as a result of COVID-19.

 

[RedTractor6761]

You sure you are not about to have 200,000 tyres dumped on you?

I really hope not!!

 

[Goweresque]

A valid point Goweresque, but I'm afraid that I am certain this is a valid project and I'm dealing with people from HE and many of their agents!

Can you hand on heart say that for sure? The fact there is a project in the vicinity doesn't mean the people you are dealing with are actually anything to do with it. The fact that 'The Valuation Office' refused your first agent on the grounds of costs is highly suspicious IMO - I've never heard of such a thing. The most expensive land agents in the country routinely represent landowners in such matters and get their fees paid without demur. It smacks to me that someone is trying to separate you from independent advice. How did you come by the agent you have now? Was he (or she) suggested by the 'Highways Agency', or from a list provided by them? Who was the agent refused on grounds of costs? And who is the agent you have now? Its a pound to penny someone on here will know them if they are legit.

Have you ever met these representatives from the Highways Agency anywhere official? Highways Agency offices for examples, or offices of actual land agents? Or have they always been on site or at your house, or anonymous locations such as hotels or rented offices? Have you got any names of people who are dealing with this matter at the HA and have you ever rung them via the HA switchboard? Or have you always dealt via mobile and email?

Something really doesn't smell right about the whole scenario you have described.

 

[Pilatus]

No doubt there are some very convincing , “Pikey Scammers” about, perhaps picking up on a project near by!!!
25acres would hold a lot of scum and their muddles, now that would not be a nice situation end up with!!!
Perhaps the scammers are saying they can’t meet you face to face because of Covid19.

 

[RedTractor6761]

I've Google'd their names and all official documentation refers to them. An example is from the Planning Inspectorate. It is definitely legit which is why it's all the more worrying!

 

[George from SJM Planning]

I've Google'd their names and all official documentation refers to them. An example is from the Planning Inspectorate. It is definitely legit which is why it's all the more worrying!

What are the planning inspectorate getting involved in? Has planning been refused? They have a very limited remit

 

[RedTractor6761]

What are the planning inspectorate getting involved in? Has planning been refused? They have a very limited remit

No idea. All I know is that they are waiting for the DCO but not sure what my position would be after they get it?

 

[Goweresque]

I've Google'd their names and all official documentation refers to them. An example is from the Planning Inspectorate. It is definitely legit which is why it's all the more worrying!

If you can find official documentation online with the names of the Highways Agency staff on them, so can someone else, and pretend to be them............

What firm of agents is the HA using?

 

[George from SJM Planning]

No idea. All I know is that they are waiting for the DCO but not sure what my position would be after they get it?

Sorry I thought you had seen documentation from the Planning Inspectorate

 

[RedTractor6761]

If you can find official documentation online with the names of the Highways Agency staff on them, so can someone else, and pretend to be them............

What firm of agents is the HA using?

I've had dealings with the following so far:
* Atkins Global
* Osbornes
* Balfour Beatty Atkins

 

[RedTractor6761]

Sorry I thought you had seen documentation from the Planning Inspectorate

All the recent documentation is coming from the Planning Inspectorate, including all the post-card updates. The latest one being that the public hearings have been postponed due to the coronavirus.

 

[George from SJM Planning]

All the recent documentation is coming from the Planning Inspectorate, including all the post-card updates. The latest one being that the public hearings have been postponed due to the coronavirus.

So nothing site specific, just the general updates

 

[Bongodog]

25 acres is a huge amount of land for a site compound, they have temporarily taken just about that amount for the main compound for the A14 project in Cambridgeshire, and thats a £1.5bn project. If a scheme is as large as you say, it will likely involve acquiring land from other owners either permanently or temporarily for site compounds, access tracks, soil storage etc. The big problem for you is that the worst case scenario for a landowner with one of these schemes is compulsory purchase, for this they usually only pay market value plus 10%. Bearing this in mind there is no way they will pay some of the figures being suggested here such as £2k rent for a year. The most important thing is to get it in writing that they will restore your land back to its original condition and carry out any necessary rectification over the next few years

 

[Steevo]

25 acres is a huge amount of land for a site compound, they have temporarily taken just about that amount for the main compound for the A14 project in Cambridgeshire, and thats a £1.5bn project. If a scheme is as large as you say, it will likely involve acquiring land from other owners either permanently or temporarily for site compounds, access tracks, soil storage etc. The big problem for you is that the worst case scenario for a landowner with one of these schemes is compulsory purchase, for this they usually only pay market value plus 10%. Bearing this in mind there is no way they will pay some of the figures being suggested here such as £2k rent for a year. The most important thing is to get it in writing that they will restore your land back to its original condition and carry out any necessary rectification over the next few years

As I understand it the last route these guys ever want to take is the compulsory purchase route. By all accounts the paperwork and bureaucracy involved is significant and that all takes time too. I’m pretty sure they need to evidence that they have tried all reasonable methods and that the CPO was an absolute last resort.

I was led to believe would prefer to pay a reasonable market rent so all parties are happy and cooperative at an early stage.

An agent would be well placed to advise on the point, whereas a farmer less so.