A CPO allows acquiring authorities like local authorities, to take land & property without the consent of the owner and provide compensation for this. The CPO is often used to allow a public infrastructure project to go ahead for the common good.
The current compulsory purchase system can be a daunting experience for individual property owners, involving public enquirers, official notices with time limits, complex and unfamiliar terminology. While compulsory purchase powers are wide-ranging and often viewed as draconian, many national infrastructure projects like motorways, railways, electricity and water schemes could not progress without using these acquisition powers.