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The CPA’s Annual Law Reform Lecture 2019

Is There a Need to Reform the Law of Blight?

The Compulsory Purchase Association invite you to attend their annual Law Reform Lecture, where experts will focus on whether leadership from Government to reform and standardise the blight regime is now required. This annual event will be of great interest to all who work with CPOs including CPA Members, acquiring authorities, developers and affected landowners.  

Start Date Venue Price  
30 April 2019 Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP, London    

Note: All prices are to be paid in GBP and are subject to VAT at the prevailing rate

Event duration: Evening Event 2 CPD Hours.
Registration from: 16.15. Event starts at: 16.45. Event finishes at: 18.45 - Followed by a Drinks Reception.

The CPA is grateful to Gateley Hamer for sponsoring this event

The law has long recognised the blighting impact that the making of a CPO or DCO can have upon the value of property. What it has not to date recognised is the impact that may be had by either the mere prospect of a CPO, or upon properties not directly affected.

In recent years there has however been a plethora of discretionary schemes brought forward by promoters and acquiring authorities dealing with just these matters. But the devising of bespoke regimes with varying scopes and rights is thought by some to create a claimant ‘lottery’ where the level of support received by depends entirely upon which scheme a party is lucky (or unlucky) enough to find themselves affected by, and the level of funding it has.

Is such an outcome fair or acceptable in a modern compensation system? Or should we be looking to Government to reform and standardise the blight regime?  If so, how might this work without imposing unsustainable financial burdens on promoters?

Mary Cook, a leading planning barrister will explore these questions and more in her paper to the 2019 law reform lecture.  Mary is a founding partner of Town Legal, and immediately prior to this was a member of Cornerstone Barristers where she served as Joint Head of Chambers. 

This paper will be followed by a panel discussion.

Speakers and Panellists

Programme

  • 16.45 - Welcome and Introduction – Rebecca Clutten, Francis Taylor Building; CPA Vice Chair
  • 16.50 - Lead Paper by Mary Cook, Town Legal
  • 17.50 - Question, Answer and Panel Session - Hilary Wharf, HS2AA, Wharf Weston; Simon Mole, Carter Jonas; Keith Murray, Keith Murray Consultants
  • 18.45 - Drinks and Canapés
  • 20.00 - Close