If the preferred site is in third-party ownership, or includes sites in third-party ownership, the risks associated with site acquisition generally fall to the private party. However, in certain instances where voluntary acquisition may prove difficult or costly and where government is to become the landowner, it may be more cost-effective for government to control the land acquisition process.
In the case of linear infrastructure, government may need or wish to take a role in coordinating acquisitions, even where it does not act as the acquirer of the project land. This is especially the case if the precise route definition depends on the outcome of an environmental assessment process. In such cases, the acquisition process is generally directed by a coordinating committee of government and private party representatives, in order to minimise the risks of incorrect or incomplete acquisitions along the project route, and to ensure that access is achieved in a manner consistent with the private party's construction schedule.