Government can acquire land for a public purpose
A government authority that acquires privately owned land for a public purpose is called an acquiring authority.
The acquiring authority will:
- try to reach an agreement with you through negotiation, generally within six months
- cover your reasonable costs, including professional valuation and legal advice
- compulsorily acquire your land if you cannot reach an agreement
- pay you the amount the Valuer General determines as compensation if your land is compulsorily acquired.
The Valuer General is responsible for determining compensation
The Valuer General is an independent statutory officer, appointed by the Governor of NSW to oversee the state's land valuation system. This includes setting the standards and policies for determining compensation.
The Valuer General is responsible for:
- ensuring landowners get fair compensation when land is compulsorily acquired
- setting an independent, fair and transparent process to decide compensation.
When a compulsory acquisition takes place, the Valuer General determines how much the acquiring authority must offer the landowner. This amount must be no less than the market value of the land unaffected by the proposed acquisition.
The Valuer General does not act for either the landowner or the acquiring authority. This separates the government’s decision to acquire land from the decision on how much to pay for it.
We encourage you to give us information, ask questions and clarify any concerns as needed throughout the process.
We will consider all information that you and the acquiring authority provide when determining compensation.
