Council in £65k pot to fight Parliament on HS2

Stafford Borough Council has outlined a number of concerns with the controversial High Speed Rail project and has already earmarked £65,000 to battle it.

Chief among its concerns is the huge temporary rail terminus and construction yard near Stone which will be turned into permanent maintenance depot when the track is up and running.

The 100 acre site will stretch for two miles long between Stafford Services and Swynnerton sandwiched between the new line and the east side of the M6.

Bosses also have fears around the track’s viaducts which will become prominent parts of the landscape in parts of the borough, such as Great Haywood, resulting in major implications for protected areas such as the Ingestre Conservation Area and the Grade 1 listed park at Shugborough.

Whilst the construction of HS2 will mean numerous buildings will have to be bulldozed, woodlands torn down and additional heavy goods traffic on rural roads. Tonight the full council will debate on a move to ‘petition’ Parliament over the scheme.

If approved it means after the Hybrid Bill for Phase 2a of HS2 has gone through its second reading in Parliament, the council will have a brief window to challenge the Government over certain aspects of the scheme and fight for any changes.

The authority has set aside £65,000 to appoint Parliamentary Agents to carry out the work but stated it could cost more than that if further legal counsel is required down the line.

Richard Lawrence, the council’s head of economic development, housing and planning, said: “The Hybrid Bill and the proposals contained within it raise a number of concerns.

“These relate to the impact of the route on the landscape and amenity of the borough and the effects on local communities of the route’s construction and subsequent operation.”