TAXPAYERS are facing a £10.2million bill for selling redundant property bought to make way for the cancelled northern section of HS2.
The cash will go on legal and admin expenses incurred by estate agents and land brokers.
Transport officials want them to try to claw back the £587million spent on buying the properties.
John O’Connell, of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “Taxpayers are being hit with yet another bill for the HS2 fiasco.”
“After splurging hundreds of millions buying up properties for a line that will never be built, officials are now forking out millions more just to undo their own mess.
“This disastrous project has already cost the public dearly, ministers should make sure every penny possible is recovered and that nothing like this boondoggle is ever repeated.”
The DoT has begun the hunt for estate agents and land brokers to oversee the sale.
Rules mean that previous owners would be able buy back their properties at the current market value, officials said.
A DfT spokesperson said: “While in any property sale there will be legal and administrative costs, we are determined to maximise the amount of money taxpayers get back from selling these properties.”
They also added that care would be taken not to flood local markets with property and impacting prices.
HS2’s Manchester and Leeds sections were cancelled in 2023 and 2021 respectively.
