§ Mr. BluntTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much public money (a) has been spent and (b) is budgeted to be spent as compensation for traffic noise levels for residents living adjacent to the M25 between Junctions 8 and 10 following the road's widening. [110233]
§ Mr. HillWe have received 2,832 claims so far and paid £10,114,641 in respect of 822 claims. This figure includes interest and agents' costs.
A further 925 have now been agreed and compensation on those will be £3,456,445 exclusive of interest as this is calculated at date of payment. These claims should be paid within the next few months. The remaining claims are currently with the Agency's Valuer under negotiation. The estimate for the outstanding cases (and any others we might receive) is of the order of £6.5 million. The total compensation bill is therefore estimated at around £20 million.
We have an obligation to pay compensation under Part 1 of the Lands Compensation Act 1973 in respect of depreciation in value of properties caused by physical factors—including noise—arising from the use of the M25 widening between junctions 8–10.