Whether you are buying or selling, awareness of local considerations will positively impact the likelihood of a successful sale or purchase. Our Solicitors' maintain a network of Redditch contacts. They are also cognisant of the issues and considerations native to the area.

We have assisted home movers throughout Redditch, including Conveyancing in B80, B97, B98.

Conservation Areas in Redditch:

Church Green and Feckenham are areas within the Redditch borough which are designated as having special architectural and historical interest.

Disadvantaged Areas in Redditch

Regions within Redditch have been qualified as 'disadvantaged areas' eligible for stamp duty relief. These are based on electoral divisions and local government wards. These disadvantaged areas do not always coincide with postcode districts, so the postcode search tool cannot always be relied on. If a search does not confirm whether am property is in a disadvantaged area, your solicitor should contact the local authority. By making a straightforward search by postcode, you can usually determine if a property purchase below £150,000 will benefit, however. Call our Conveyancing team for a full list of designated disadvantaged areas in Redditch.

Disadvantaged areas in Redditch include Batchley.

Will your property purchase in Redditch be affected by HS2?

Planning of the High Speed 2 (HS2) rail link between London and the North is now underway. The first phase of construction will occur between London and the West Midlands. HS2's affect on property values and the environment is of concern to many Redditch inhabitants. A search by your property lawyer will indicate if a Redditch residence is within two hundred metres of the planned route. The search will not, however, tell you the exact distance or help you assess the likely impact on your home.

Is a detailed HS2 Search worth it?

Properties further than 200m away from the line, and therefore not covered by the relevant local authority search, will nevertheless be affected, and works will last for at least eight years. This may mean long-term and extensive disruption to the enjoyment of your property if you choose to buy in affected parts of Redditch. Clear mapping to the closest point of the HS2 line is available via a thorough High Speed 2 search. HS2 issues the search addresses:

• In which ways will HS2's proximity affect the home? (e.g value, noise)
• Is the nearby line through a tunnel, in a cutting, at ground level or on a viaduct?
• Does the home line near the first stage of the route? (London to Birmingham)

The HS2 search also includes £10 million indemnity.

Should you be worried if your home within 200m of HS2?

Homes beyond the 200m threshold identified a local authority search will still be affected by issues such as noise, construction and road traffic. The more detailed HS2 search will also provide you with more information. Certainly if the search suggests that your new home will be affected, you should bear in mind that once construction starts and the London to Birmingham HS2 Rail link becomes operational, current compensation legislation for noise and other blight factors (particularly any impact on the enjoyment of a view) can be a very drawn out and often unsatisfactory process. Compensation measures will include:

• The introduction of a streamlined purchase scheme to simplify the statutory blight process for property owners
• A sale and rent back scheme to give homeowners in the safeguarded areas more flexibility
• The introduction of a streamlined small claims scheme for construction damage which will allow individuals and businesses who are entitled to compensation under existing law to claim it more quickly and simply
• A package of measures to reinforce confidence in properties above tunnels
• A refreshed hardship scheme

Note that Fridaysmove do not intend to comment on the merits of the HS2 scheme, or the impact felt by Redditch residents and home buyers.