Written Question · S3W-36879 · Session 3
Who took the decision to sell the land obtained for the Glasgow Airport Rail Link project under compulsory purchase powers; when the decisi…
The question
To ask the Scottish Executive who took the decision to sell the land obtained for the Glasgow Airport Rail Link project under compulsory purchase powers; when the decision was taken; what consultation was taken before the decision, and on what dates offers of sale were made to the original owners.
The answer
Following the Scottish Parliament''s ratification of the Budget (Scotland) Act on 3 February 2010, which formalised the Scottish Government''s reluctant decision to cancel the Glasgow Airport Rail Link (GARL) branch line works; and in accordance with the requirements of the: Scottish Public Finance Manual (SPFM); the Scottish Government undertook an internal trawl of all of its Departments and Agencies to ascertain whether there was any other legitimate use that the land, previously acquired under compulsory powers for the GARL project, could be put to. The internal trawl concluded that there was no other use for the land and consequently it was deemed to be surplus to requirements. Therefore in accordance with the statutory obligations of the Glasgow Airport Rail Link Act (2007) “ Section 44 Application of Crichel Downs Rules was applied.
We have been in consultation with the following parties in order to comply with the requirements of the SPFM and Crichel Down rules:
Previous land owners
District Valuation Office
Land agents
Legal advisors
The Scottish Parliament has been informed of the intention to dispose of land, purchased under Compulsory Powers and subsequently deemed surplus to requirements, and I would refer the member to the answer to questions: S3W-31078 on 4 February 2010; S3W-32289 on 19 March 2010; S3W-33248 on 23 April 2010; and S3W-33171 on 22 April 2010. Answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.
The discussions that we have had with the previous owners of the land acquired using compulsory powers is set out in the following table:
Date
| Summary of Letter ontent
10 November 2009
| Informing previous owners that we were awaiting confirmation of the formal agreement of the Budget proposed on the 17 September 2009. Until outcome of this is known we were not in a position to dispose of any of the land previously acquired, however we confirmed that we would contact original owners shortly thereafter to advise of the Parliament''s decision and propose a way forward.
11 February 2010
| Confirming that Parliament met on 3 February 2010 and voted on the Budget as proposed by Cabinet Secretary for Finance & Sustainable Growth. This formalised the cancellation of the GARL branch line. We would develop a strategy for the disposal of the land deemed as surplus to requirements and would make further contact to advise of likely timescales for concluding the process.
11 and 26 July 2010
| Confirming that internal government land sale process complete and various plots have been declared surplus to the requirements of the Scottish Government and of our intention to sell. Confirming that under Crichel Downs rules former owners are offered the opportunity to repurchase the land acquired from them.
November 2010
| Formal price offer letters to be issued to former owners.
We have been in consultation with the following parties in order to comply with the requirements of the SPFM and Crichel Down rules:
Previous land owners
District Valuation Office
Land agents
Legal advisors
The Scottish Parliament has been informed of the intention to dispose of land, purchased under Compulsory Powers and subsequently deemed surplus to requirements, and I would refer the member to the answer to questions: S3W-31078 on 4 February 2010; S3W-32289 on 19 March 2010; S3W-33248 on 23 April 2010; and S3W-33171 on 22 April 2010. Answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.
The discussions that we have had with the previous owners of the land acquired using compulsory powers is set out in the following table:
Date
| Summary of Letter ontent
10 November 2009
| Informing previous owners that we were awaiting confirmation of the formal agreement of the Budget proposed on the 17 September 2009. Until outcome of this is known we were not in a position to dispose of any of the land previously acquired, however we confirmed that we would contact original owners shortly thereafter to advise of the Parliament''s decision and propose a way forward.
11 February 2010
| Confirming that Parliament met on 3 February 2010 and voted on the Budget as proposed by Cabinet Secretary for Finance & Sustainable Growth. This formalised the cancellation of the GARL branch line. We would develop a strategy for the disposal of the land deemed as surplus to requirements and would make further contact to advise of likely timescales for concluding the process.
11 and 26 July 2010
| Confirming that internal government land sale process complete and various plots have been declared surplus to the requirements of the Scottish Government and of our intention to sell. Confirming that under Crichel Downs rules former owners are offered the opportunity to repurchase the land acquired from them.
November 2010
| Formal price offer letters to be issued to former owners.
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S3W-36879 by reference.