Dr. Tony WrightTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will list in respect of those properties which have been acquired in the past by his Department in relation to the Birmingham Northern Relief Road(a) those which he intends to dispose of because he no longer needs them in relation to the road and (b) the acquisition price of each such property and the price at which each such property has been placed on the market; [89119]
(2) if he will list in respect of those properties which have been acquired in the past by his Department in relation to the Birmingham Northern Relief Road (a) those which have been disposed of by him because he considers he no longer needs them in relation to the road and (b) the acquisition price and the money received on disposal in relation to each such property. [89129]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonI have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Mr. Lawrie Haynes, to reply to my hon. Friend.
Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Dr. Tony Wright, dated 30 June 1999:
The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Glenda Jackson, has asked me to reply to your recent questions about properties that have been bought and sold in relation to the Birmingham Northern Relief Road (BNRR).I am afraid I am unable to provide the information in the form that you have requested. To list properties and prices would make public the amounts that private individuals have received or paid. I am sure you agree that such information should remain confidential.The Agency has purchased 24 properties in connection with the BNRR that have since been sold. The total purchase price was £2.105m and the amount received on disposal of these same properties was £1.741m.A further 5 properties, purchased at a total cost of £415,250, have been identified as surplus to requirements. Two of these are under offer at a total price of £135,000. The remaining properties have yet to be valued. We expect other properties to be declared surplus as the scheme progresses.These figures relate to both the former publicly funded road and the privately financed Midland Expressway Ltd scheme. They include discretionary purchases (that is properties seriously affected by but not required for the road) as well as statutory blight purchases.