Compulsory acquisitions

In NSW, all levels of government (including state-owned corporations) can acquire privately owned land for a public purpose. They can acquire:

  • all or part of a property
  • interest in a property, including easements for power lines, sewer or water.

The Land Acquisition (Just Terms Compensation) Act 1991 (the Land Acquisition Act) sets out the process for acquiring land.

The Land Acquisition Act directs acquiring authorities to negotiate with landowners for at least six months to acquire land by agreement. In these cases, the Valuer General is not involved. Most land acquisitions happen this way.

If you cannot reach an agreement with the acquiring authority through negotiation, the Governor of NSW can approve compulsory acquisition of your land. The Valuer General will then determine the amount of compensation the acquiring authority must pay for the land.

For more information, see:

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