Woodbury Down Estate, London - Compulsory Purchase Order for Redevelopment

NOTICE OF CONFIRMATION OF COMPULSORY PURCHASE ORDER

LONDON BOROUGH OF HACKNEY (WOODBERRY DOWN PHASE 4) COMPULSORY PURCHASE ORDER 2024

SECTION 226(1)(a) OF THE TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING ACT 1990 AND

THE ACQUISITION OF LAND ACT 1981

COMPULSORY PURCHASE OF LAND AT WOODBERRY DOWN PHASE 4 IN THE LONDON BOROUGH OF HACKNEY

1. Notice is hereby given that the London Borough of Hackney, in exercise of the powers of the confirming authority under the above Acts, on 20 March 2025 confirmed the London Borough of Hackney (Woodberry Down Phase 4) Compulsory Purchase Order 2024 made by it. No objections to the order were received within the permitted period and consequently notification was given by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government that the power to confirm the order may be exercised by the acquiring authority in accordance with section 14A of the Acquisition of Land Act 1981.

2. The order as confirmed provides for the purchase of the land described in Schedule 1 for the purposes of facilitating the carrying out of development, redevelopment or improvement on or in relation to Woodberry Down Phase 4 namely: demolition of existing structures and the construction of a residential led, mixed use development to accommodate residential units and commercial or community floor space in buildings of between 1 and 26 storeys, together with public realm, landscaping, play space, servicing facilities, car and cycle parking, plant space, and associated works.

3. A copy of the order as confirmed by the London Borough of Hackney and of the map referred to therein have been deposited at the Hackney Town Hall, Mare Street, London E8 1EA and may be seen between the hours of 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 5pm on Saturday. A copy of the order and of the map may be viewed online on the Council’s website at https://hackney.gov.uk/woodberry-down.

4. The order as confirmed becomes operative on the date on which this notice is first published. A person aggrieved by the order may, by application to the High Court within 6 weeks from that date, challenge its validity under section 23 of the Acquisition of Land Act 1981. The grounds for challenge can be that the authorisation granted by the order is not empowered to be granted or that there has been a failure to comply with any relevant statutory requirement relating to the order.

5. Once the order has become operative, the London Borough of Hackney may acquire any of the land described in Schedule 1 below by executing a general vesting declaration under section 4 of the Compulsory Purchase (Vesting Declarations) Act 1981. A statement of the effect of Parts 2 and 3 of that Act is set out in Schedule 2 below.
   
   6. Every person who, if a general vesting declaration were executed under section 4 of that Act in respect of the land comprised in the order (other than land in respect of which notice to treat has been given), would be entitled to claim compensation in respect of any such land, is invited to give information to the London Borough of Hackney at the offices of 1 Hillman Street, London, E8 1DY about the person’s name, address and interest in land, using a prescribed form. The relevant prescribed form is set out in Schedule 3 below.
   
   7. The London Borough of Hackney has a period of 3 years beginning with the date the order becomes operative to serve a notice to treat or execute a general vesting declaration. The order will become operative on the date on which this notice is first published.

   SCHEDULE 1

   LAND COMPRISED IN THE ORDER AS CONFIRMED

   All interests in the land particularised in the order and in the accompanying map, which includes the following:

   • 1 to 25 (inclusive) Lonsdale House

   • Communal areas including stairwells, walkways, accessways and storage areas at Lonsdale House

   • Private gardens associated with ground floor properties 1 to 5 (inclusive) Lonsdale House

   • 1 to 25 (inclusive) Leighfield House

   • Communal areas including stairwells, walkways, accessways and storage areas at Leighfield House

   • Private gardens associated with ground floor properties 1 to 5 (inclusive) Leighfield House

     1 to 35 (inclusive) Knaresborough House

     Communal areas including stairwells, walkways, accessways and storage areas at Knaresborough House

     Private gardens associated with ground floor properties 1 to 7 (inclusive) Knaresborough House

     1 to 35 (inclusive) Kilpeck House

     Communal areas including stairwells, walkways, accessways and storage areas at Kilpeck House

     Private gardens associated with ground floor properties 1 to 7 (inclusive) Kilpeck House

     1 to 35 (inclusive) Keynsham House

     Communal areas including stairwells, walkways, accessways and storage areas at Keynsham House

     Private gardens associated with ground floor properties 1 to 7 (inclusive) Keynsham House

     1 to 45 (inclusive) Finmere House

     Communal areas including stairwells, walkways, accessways and storage areas at Finmere House

     Private gardens associated with ground floor properties 1 to 9 (inclusive) Finmere House

     Storage areas including bin stores, private storage areas and unused outbuildings at Lonsdale House, Leighfield House, Knaresborough House, Kilpeck House, Keynsham House and Finmere House, Woodberry Down Estate.

     SCHEDULE 2

     FORM OF STATEMENT OF EFFECT OF PARTS 2 AND 3 OF THE COMPULSORY PURCHASE

     (VESTING DECLARATIONS) ACT 1981

     POWER TO MAKE GENERAL VESTING DECLARATION
     1. Once the London Borough of Hackney (Woodberry Down Phase 4) Compulsory Purchase Order 2024 has become operative, the London Borough of Hackney (hereinafter called the “Council”) may acquire any of the land described in Schedule 1 above by executing a general vesting declaration under section 4 of the Compulsory Purchase (Vesting Declarations) Act 1981 (the “Act”). This has the effect, subject to paragraphs 3 and 5 below, of vesting the land in the Council at the end of the period mentioned in paragraph 2 below.

     NOTICES CONCERNING GENERAL VESTING DECLARATION
     
     2. As soon as may be after the Council execute a general vesting declaration, they must serve notice of it on every occupier of any of the land specified in the declaration (except land where there is one of the tenancies described in paragraph 4) and on every person who gives them information relating to the land in pursuance of the invitation contained in the confirmation notice of the order. When the service of notices of the general vesting declaration is completed, a period specified in the declaration, of not less than three months, will begin to run. On the first day after the end of this period the land described in the declaration will, subject to what is said in paragraphs 3 and 5, vest in the Council together with the right to enter on the land and take possession of it. Every person on whom the Council could have served a notice to treat in respect of his interest in the land (other than a tenant under one of the tenancies described in paragraph 4) will be entitled to compensation for the acquisition of his interest in the land, with interest on the compensation from the vesting date.
     
     3. The “vesting date” for any land specified in a declaration will be the first day after the end of the period mentioned in paragraph 2 above, unless a counter-notice is served under Schedule A1 to the Act within that period. In such circumstances, the vesting date for the land which is the subject of the counter-notice will be determined in accordance with Schedule A1.
     
     MODIFICATIONS WITH RESPECT TO CERTAIN TENANCIES
     4. In the case of certain tenancies, the position stated above is subject to modifications. The modifications apply where the tenancy is either a “minor tenancy”, i.e. a tenancy for a year or a yearly tenancy or a lesser interest, or “a long tenancy which is about to expire”. The latter expression means a tenancy granted for an interest greater than a minor tenancy but having on the vesting date a period still to run which is not more than the period specified in the declaration for this purpose (which must be more than a year). In calculating how long a tenancy has still to run, where any option to renew or to terminate it is available to either party, it shall be assumed that the landlord will take every opportunity open to him to terminate the tenancy while the tenant will use every opportunity to retain or renew his interest.
     5. The modifications are that the Council may not exercise the right of entry referred to in paragraph 2 in respect of land subject to a tenancy described in paragraph 4 unless they first serve notice to treat in respect of the tenancy and then serve every occupier of the land with a notice of their intention to enter and take possession after the period (not less than three months from the service of the notice) specified in the notice. The right of entry will be exercisable at the end of that period. The vesting of the land will be subject to the tenancy until the end of that period or until the tenancy comes to an end, whichever happens first.
     
     SCHEDULE 3
     FORM FOR GIVING INFORMATION
     LONDON BOROUGH OF HACKNEY (WOODBERRY DOWN PHASE 4) COMPULSORY PURCHASE ORDER 2024
     To: Hermione Brightwell, Project Manager, Hackney Council, 1 Hillman Street, London, E8 1DY
     [I] [We] being [a person] [persons] who, if a general vesting declaration were executed under section 4 of the Compulsory Purchase (Vesting Declarations) Act 1981 in respect of all the land comprised in the compulsory purchase order cited above in respect of which notice of treat has not been given, would be entitled to claim compensation in respect of [all] [part of] that land, give you the following information, pursuant to the provisions of section 15 of, or paragraph 6 of Schedule 1, to the Acquisition of Land Act 1981.
     
     1. Name and address of informant(s) (i)
     ........................................................................................................................
     
     2 .Land in which an interest is held by informant(s). (ii)
     .........................................................................................................................
     
     3. Nature of interest. (iii)
     .........................................................................................................................
     
     SIGNED

     [On behalf of] ...............................................................................................................

     Date.....................................................................................
     
     (i) In the case of a joint interest insert the names and addresses of all the informants.
     
     (ii)The land should be described concisely.
     
     (iii) If the interest is leasehold, the date of commencement and length of term should be given. If the land is subject to a mortgage or other incumbrance, details should be given e.g. name of building society and roll number.

     Dated: 10 April 2025

     Signed: Georgia Lazari

     Team Leader (Places)

     London Borough of Hackney