Special payments on A66 Northern Trans Pennine
Case reference EIR2024/00805
Received 13 August 2024
Published 10 September 2024
Request
In your 2023-2024 Annual Report, it was reported that three "Special payments" totalling £1.16 million had been made for the A66 Northern Trans Pennine road schemes (estimated outturn cost of £1.5 billion, with a Benefit Cost Ratio of only 0.92). "There were three special payments with a value greater than £300,000, which totalled £1.16 million. These all related to the A66 Northern Trans-Pennine scheme" https://nationalhighways.co.uk/media/rxhb2h0u/national_highways_ar24.pdf 1. Please confirm that these "special payments" are not included in the costs for the A66 schemes 2. If the "special payments" are not included in the A66 project costs, please also provide an explanation of why they are not included in the project costs. 3. Please also provide a detailed breakdown of what these payments were for and how they related to the A66 project.
Response
Information provided
1. Please confirm that these "special payments" are not included in the costs for the A66 schemes
The ‘special payments’ are included in the A66 project costs.
2. If the "special payments" are not included in the A66 project costs, please also provide an explanation of why they are not included in the project costs.
The ‘special payments’ are included in the A66 project costs.
3. Please also provide a detailed breakdown of what these payments were for and how they related to the A66 project.
The payments were Acquisition Completion Premiums (ACP) on the purchase of land required for the project.
Land lying to the West of Brough, Kirkby Stephen.
Approx. 96.62 acres of land
ACP £302,000.00
Land at Winderwath, temple Sowerby, Penrith
Approximately 135.92 acres
ACP £455,241.00
Land at Barnard Castle Lane Belt, Rokeby, Barnard Castle and Land at Birk Hall Farm, Brignall, Barnard Castle and Land at Street Side Farm, Cross Lanes, Barnard Castle.
Approximately 147.81 acres.
ACP £405,020.00
The project’s summary statement on land acquisition requirements & process explains that National Highways was authorised to offer an ACP where land is acquired before development consent is granted. It specifies the ACP 20% uplift in section 1.3.2.
Please note that we are committed to pay the ACP if the option is called in fully. We have not yet made these payments because the land is not required at this time.
Documents
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