UK: The government has formally lifted the planning protection which had been put in place to safeguard the route of the now-cancelled Phase 2a of High Speed 2 between the West Midlands and Crewe.
Land close to Handsacre will continue to be safeguarded to allow HS2 Phase 1 to connect with the West Coast Main Line, Secretary of State for Transport Mark Harper explained when he made the announcement on January 18.
Safeguarding for Phase 2b will be amended by the summer to allow ensure that any land needed for the putative Northern Powerhouse Rail project would still be protected.
The lifting of safeguarding against development is separate from the disposal of property which is no longer needed for HS2. This is expected to begin shortly.
The High Speed Rail Group said the decision to remove safeguarding was a mistake. ‘Although we welcome the continued safeguarding of land at Handsacre, protecting the remaining land remains essential’, the group said.
‘It has become clear that the cancellation of Phase 2 will require a significant alternative plan for rail investment to avoid worsening existing capacity issues on the West Coast Main Line. A viable alternative plan may require some, or all, of this land and a hasty sale of it could make delivering such a plan impossible, or at least more expensive.
‘Smart countries keep their options open for the future, and prematurely removing the safeguarding before this new plan is developed is foolhardy.’
