Compulsory purchase in England and Wales

Compulsory purchase is the power to purchase rights over an estate in English land law, or to buy that estate outright, without the current owner's consent. In England and Wales, Parliament has granted several different kinds of compulsory purchase power, which are exercisable by various bodies in various situations. Such powers are meant to be used "for the public benefit". This expression is interpreted broadly.

Although land may be acquired by consent, or by conduct which raises another party's reasonable expectations, these private methods of acquiring land are often insufficient for adequate public regulation.^[1] Building national infrastructure, such as railways, housing, and sewerage, typically needs compulsory purchase, because private owners might not give up land required for public works except at an extortionate price.