Acquiring authorities in England will need to use updated general vesting declaration (GVD) templates from 18 February 2026. The Compulsory Purchase of Land (Vesting Declarations) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/19) were made on 8 January and laid before Parliament on 12 January. They replace the prescribed Forms 1 and 2 used in the GVD process.
The amendments operate by substituting new versions of Form 1 (general vesting declaration) and Form 2 (notice specifying land and stating the effect of a GVD) within the Schedule to the 2017 Regulations. The underlying framework remains set by regulation 3 of the 2017 Regulations, which prescribes the forms for declarations executed under sections 4(1) and 6(1) of the Compulsory Purchase (Vesting Declarations) Act 1981. ([legislation.gov.uk](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2017/3?utm_source=openai))
The 2026 instrument follows earlier updates made in April 2024, when the Government removed the five‑year review duty from the 2017 Regulations and substituted the then-current versions of Forms 1 and 2. Practitioners should treat the 2026 templates as the latest prescribed versions for use in England. ([legislation.gov.uk](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2024/477/made?utm_source=openai))
The changes to the forms sit alongside recent statutory reforms to the GVD process. The Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 amended the 1981 Act to introduce an expedited procedure allowing vesting after a minimum of six weeks where specific conditions are met, and provided for advancement of vesting by agreement. Project teams should ensure the content of any declaration and notice aligns with these amended time periods and procedural steps. ([legislation.gov.uk](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2025/34/enacted?utm_source=openai))
For authorities, the operational ask is straightforward: update internal templates and document automation to the new Forms 1 and 2 from 18 February 2026. While the 2017 Regulations permit a form “substantially to the same effect”, using the latest prescribed wording reduces the risk of procedural challenge and avoids inconsistency with post‑2025 Act terminology and timelines. ([legislation.gov.uk](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2017/3?utm_source=openai))
For landowners and occupiers, the updated notice format does not change rights to challenge or claim compensation, but recipients should be alert to revised statements on vesting dates and any use of the expedited route. The accelerated route can shorten the interval between notice service and vesting to six weeks where the statutory tests are met, replacing the previous three‑month minimum in those cases. ([legislation.gov.uk](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2025/34/enacted?utm_source=openai))
The instrument extends to England and Wales, but the practical effect is limited to England. Regulatory functions for prescribing GVD forms in relation to Wales were transferred to the Welsh Ministers, and Wales maintains its own arrangements. The substitution therefore updates the English prescribed forms only. ([legislation.gov.uk](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1999/672?utm_source=openai))
The statutory instrument is signed by Matthew Pennycook, Minister of State at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, on 8 January 2026. No impact assessment accompanies the instrument, with the Government indicating no impact on the private or voluntary sectors. The update is administrative in scope but important for legal compliance in CPO programmes.