Leighton Buzzard Railway reaches historic agreement with Arnold White Estates
A major milestone has been reached for future development of the Leighton Buzzard Railway (LBR).
Following intricate negotiations with Arnold White Estates (AWE), existing owners of part of the land on which the railway operates, the sections of the track bed which were owned by LBR have been sold to AWE in a leaseback arrangement raising vital funds for the volunteer-operated railway.
All of the AWE-owned track bed, including most of the Page’s Park Station site with its award-winning new building, has been leased back to LBR at a peppercorn rent for the next 250 years. Included in the lease is the land for the Munday’s Hill extension, which was a requirement of the successful bid for the EU LEADER funding last year.
In addition, a short-term licence was agreed for a storage area for materials needed for the extension, including the first 2,000ft of track which arrived last month.
The money generated from the sale and leaseback will be used for further development at LBR, some of which has already been earmarked for the tree clearance needed to allow extension work to be completed.
The agreement demonstrates the continued relationship between LBR and AWE.