A compulsory purchase order (CPO) allows a public authority, such as a council, electricity or water company, to acquire land without the consent of the owner. This may include houses or any other buildings as well as the land itself.
Examples of circumstances a CPO can be used for include:
- major building projects, such as housing developments or flood defence works
- improving or installing services, for example electric pylons, water mains or road or rail improvements
- clearing areas of bad housing
Information about the CPO process is available from the Government https://www.gov.uk/guidance/compulsory-purchase-and-compensation-guide-1-procedure
