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| M4 relief road: Welsh government land ownership concern | M4 relief road: Welsh government land ownership concern |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Millions of pounds worth of property and land along the preferred route for an M4 relief road around Newport is owned by the Welsh government, BBC Wales has revealed. | |
| It has led to concerns that this may have influenced its decision to choose the £1bn "black route". | It has led to concerns that this may have influenced its decision to choose the £1bn "black route". |
| The Wales Audit Office said the Auditor General had received a complaint. | The Wales Audit Office said the Auditor General had received a complaint. |
| There were three options and a row has broken out about a fourth which did not feature in a consultation. | There were three options and a row has broken out about a fourth which did not feature in a consultation. |
| A relief road has been sought to ease congestion on the M4 in that area which bottlenecks around the Brynglas tunnels. | A relief road has been sought to ease congestion on the M4 in that area which bottlenecks around the Brynglas tunnels. |
| Transport Minister Edwina Hart announced in July that the black route is the preferred route despite it being the most expensive option, and that it will cut across five sites of special scientific interest on the Gwent levels. | Transport Minister Edwina Hart announced in July that the black route is the preferred route despite it being the most expensive option, and that it will cut across five sites of special scientific interest on the Gwent levels. |
| Opponents to this option include environmentalists, opposition AMs and two former Labour ministers who called for a blue route to be considered instead. | Opponents to this option include environmentalists, opposition AMs and two former Labour ministers who called for a blue route to be considered instead. |
| They say this would upgrade the current road system in and around Newport offering a cheaper and more environmentally sustainable alternative. | They say this would upgrade the current road system in and around Newport offering a cheaper and more environmentally sustainable alternative. |
| But BBC Wales' current affairs programme Week In Week Out has learned that the Welsh government owns more than £12m in property land and farms along the black route and it has spent more than £20m in professional fees to consultants since 1998. | But BBC Wales' current affairs programme Week In Week Out has learned that the Welsh government owns more than £12m in property land and farms along the black route and it has spent more than £20m in professional fees to consultants since 1998. |
| Black route and 'blight' | Black route and 'blight' |
| Property and land owned by the Welsh government along the path of the black route was often acquired as a result of blight notices being served by members of the public - at a cost of millions of pounds to the tax payer. | Property and land owned by the Welsh government along the path of the black route was often acquired as a result of blight notices being served by members of the public - at a cost of millions of pounds to the tax payer. |
| A blight notice is a legal notice served by a homeowner on the government when their property is directly affected by a major development. | A blight notice is a legal notice served by a homeowner on the government when their property is directly affected by a major development. |
| The most expensive parcel of land owned by the government along the black route is adjacent to the old LG Electronics site to the west of Newport. The government paid £7m to LG for this land in 2005. | The most expensive parcel of land owned by the government along the black route is adjacent to the old LG Electronics site to the west of Newport. The government paid £7m to LG for this land in 2005. |
| According to the government, the south-western part of this site is likely to be utilised for environmental mitigation measures for the proposed Black Route. | According to the government, the south-western part of this site is likely to be utilised for environmental mitigation measures for the proposed Black Route. |
| Week In Week Out asked the government for a full list of land and property it owns, but the government said that they didn't have this information because they don't keep a database for it. | Week In Week Out asked the government for a full list of land and property it owns, but the government said that they didn't have this information because they don't keep a database for it. |
| They also said that land ownership does not influence the selection of a preferred route corridor, and that all properties and land acquired in relation to road schemes are regularly reviewed. | They also said that land ownership does not influence the selection of a preferred route corridor, and that all properties and land acquired in relation to road schemes are regularly reviewed. |
| When land is no longer likely to be affected by the proposals, it is declared as surplus to requirements and subsequently sold, according to government officials. | When land is no longer likely to be affected by the proposals, it is declared as surplus to requirements and subsequently sold, according to government officials. |
| 'Pre-emptive strike' | 'Pre-emptive strike' |
| Darren Millar AM, chairman of the Welsh assembly's public accounts committee, said questions need to be asked about whether tax payers have had value for money. | Darren Millar AM, chairman of the Welsh assembly's public accounts committee, said questions need to be asked about whether tax payers have had value for money. |
| "It helps a business case from a certain perspective if pieces of land are already in the ownership of the Welsh government," he told the programme. | "It helps a business case from a certain perspective if pieces of land are already in the ownership of the Welsh government," he told the programme. |
| "It does seem to me to be almost giving the impression of a pre-emptive strike by the Welsh government in order to lead the conversation around which route to take in a certain direction. | "It does seem to me to be almost giving the impression of a pre-emptive strike by the Welsh government in order to lead the conversation around which route to take in a certain direction. |
| "That concerns me greatly and I am very concerned frankly that it might be damaging tax payers' resources." | "That concerns me greatly and I am very concerned frankly that it might be damaging tax payers' resources." |
| Asked if the Welsh government is obligated to choose the black route because it owns property along it, Ms Hart said: "At the end of the day we always look at value for money issues. | Asked if the Welsh government is obligated to choose the black route because it owns property along it, Ms Hart said: "At the end of the day we always look at value for money issues. |
| "Our job now is, if we do proceed, to do anything on this, is to get the best value in terms of contract and how well we can do on those particular issues." | "Our job now is, if we do proceed, to do anything on this, is to get the best value in terms of contract and how well we can do on those particular issues." |
| A Wales Audit Office spokesperson said the Auditor General is considering the correspondence he has received. | A Wales Audit Office spokesperson said the Auditor General is considering the correspondence he has received. |
| A final decision about which route the new road will take is not likely to be made until after a public inquiry and following the Welsh assembly elections in 2016. | A final decision about which route the new road will take is not likely to be made until after a public inquiry and following the Welsh assembly elections in 2016. |
| Week In Week Out, Tuesday, 11 November at 22:35 GMT on BBC One Wales | Week In Week Out, Tuesday, 11 November at 22:35 GMT on BBC One Wales |