Infrastructure Schemes, Compulsory Purchase & Compensation Claims

Cooper Rural are experts at providing guidance on a range of infrastructure related matters on behalf of Farmers and Landowners. We have a strong knowledge of the Development Consent Order Process and how Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects can utilise compulsory powers where necessary.

Compensation can be payable for all losses associated with a scheme, such as to crop damage, soil disturbance, infrastructure impact and operational disruption to your farming business.

We are able to negotiate on your behalf across a vast array of matters to include:

  • Compulsory Purchase: Representing you to ensure your landowner interests are considered and reflected to the best of our ability throughout the acquisition process.
  • Wayleave and Easements: Negotiating utility rights including Heads of Terms over your land, in the form of solar, wind, electricity, gas, water, telecoms.
  • Temporary Land Use & Access Requests: Agreeing Licence Agreements or Intrusive/Non-Intrusive Survey access ensuring fair compensation for short-term land use and access agreements.
  • Public Works: Compensation rights related to roads, railways, and flood protection schemes.

Our professional team is well versed in managing the entirety of the process from early engagement/initial agreement of access, to field inspections and evidence collection (records of condition, site photographs and maps) to direct negotiation with opposing agents in utility scheme and compulsory purchase scenarios, to the final settlement, ensuring an effective and stress-free period of works for yourselves as our clients, in what can otherwise be unsettling and risky without professional advice.  Professional fees are often covered by the infrastructure provider.