How we are working with some of the UK’s biggest contractors and consultants to deliver HS2, England’s new high-speed railway

High Speed Rail 2 (HS2) is a nationally significant rail infrastructure project with an aim to boost social and economic mobility across the UK

Dalcour Maclaren’s involvement

For the project’s enabling works phase 1, we worked with Fusion JV and Costain Skanska JV to deliver:

1. Land access services and agricultural liaison, conflict avoidance and accommodation works/claim mitigation advice
2. Geomatics and land surveying, including CAD design, data collection and spatial presentation, setting out and as-builts
3. Leading the engagement on enabling works for construction, including the planning and building of compounds, entry and exit points and advanced work such as highways bypasses, relief roads as well as ecological mitigation sites 

For the project’s main works phase 1, we worked with three of  HS2’s delivery contractors – EKFB JV, Align JV and SCS JV – offering the following services: 

• Land access
• Agricultural liaison services
• Void property management
• Hand back and maintenance
• Agreements for additional land
• Utility land rights
• Access and rights for noise mitigation works
• Settlement deeds
• Accommodation works design consultation,
• Cost benefit appraisal
• Planning consents   

For the project’s Engineering Delivery Partner (EDP)  phase 2a, we worked with AtkinsRealis to deliver: 

1. Land access services and agricultural liaison, conflict avoidance and accommodation works/claim mitigation advice
2. Geomatics and land surveying, including CAD design, data collection and spatial presentation, setting out and as-builts
3. Leading the engagement on enabling works for construction, including the planning and building of compounds, entry and exit points and advanced work such as highways bypasses, relief roads as well as ecological mitigation sites 

For the project’s Land and Property department:  In 2021 we were appointed to act on behalf of HS2 directly as part of its Land and Property Acquisition Services Framework, delivering specialist services including:

• Land referencing
• Stakeholder engagement
• Compensation negotiations
• Land access strategy, including helping secure land and property rights, managing relationships with affected parties and ensuring legal compliance throughout the compulsory purchase process 

We Challenge

HS2 is one of the most contentious infrastructure projects in the UK, affecting thousands of interests and landowners across the country. Our work as the vital link between multiple contractors working on the project and the people on the ground is extremely important in moving the project forward. As one senior engineer in the enabling works team said: “I build bridges and roads – I need a DM to be my translator from high viz into tweed and back again.” We pride ourselves on being that translator in any environment: rural, urban or coastal. Our Liaison Officers are drawn from a wide range of backgrounds and intimately understand the worries and needs of the communities our clients work in. 

We often meet people at a moment of real uncertainty and potential vulnerability – when they’re facing the prospect of having land or property acquired that’s been in their family for generations. It’s not just property; it’s heritage, identity and livelihood. We recognised early on that our team needed to be equipped not just with technical knowledge, but with the emotional intelligence and support to have those conversations with care and respect.

That’s why we put the right mechanisms in place to ensure our people could operate confidently and compassionately in those environments. Our engagement team has worked shoulder-to-shoulder with both the contractor and the acquiring authority, and together we’ve now reached over 15,000 meaningful engagements with affected parties on this project.

We’ve had encouraging feedback from stakeholder groups, who’ve told us that what has made the difference is consistency: a consistent approach, consistent communication and a consistent presence. Having someone who understands the process and can translate and signpost next steps clearly has helped make a difficult experience just a little easier for those involved.

We Innovate

Twelve months in, we levelled up our data game.
Faced with the scale of the project, we reimagined how we collect and share information – introducing field tablets with live photo capture, geotagging and directional data. Everything goes straight to the client, instantly and in one place.

The result? Faster delivery, fewer disputes and crystal-clear records.
Better data means fewer confusions, less time wasted and real savings. It also builds a solid audit trail for future reference. By integrating our data into the client’s digital twin model, we’ve created a truly collaborative workflow. It’s a smarter, more connected way of working. We pride ourselves on our #ONETEAM ethos and always work to integrate as closely as possible with all parties involved to reach our mutual goal. 

We Care

When infrastructure projects impact people, it’s not just about land – it’s about livelihoods. Even on a large-scale project like HS2, we care about the little things. That’s why we go beyond the map and into the heart of how people live and work.

On this project, we didn’t just identify what was in the way – we played a key role to try and mitigate its impact. From relocating critical farm apparatus to planning the safe transfer of livestock, we worked hand-in-hand with affected businesses to mitigate the effect of works where possible and keep operations going.

But it wasn’t just farms. We worked with the wider stakeholder and community teams in the project to support transport and logistics planning for school routes, youth and community groups, ensuring that life could carry on. 

HS2 Phase 1 is well underway – and so are we.

Since enabling works kicked off in 2017, we’ve been right there with it. Our multi-disciplinary team has been on the ground, working side-by-side with the client, contractors and communities to keep things moving.

We bring a connected, no-fuss approach: pragmatic, empathetic and focused on solutions. Whether it’s navigating land access, supporting affected parties or helping the project stay on track, we’re proud of the part we continue to play in making this major piece of UK infrastructure happen.