UK: Birmingham City Council has granted Schedule 17 approval for High Speed 2’s Washwood Heath depot.
The 2017 act providing legal powers for the construction of Phase One of HS2 provides deemed planning permission for the project, but Schedule 17 requires that HS2 Ltd seeks the approval of the appropriate planning authority for certain matters.
The Washwood Heath site will include a maintenance building with office accommodation, workshops and staff welfare facilities where 250 people will work, a standalone integrated network control centre where more than 100 staff will be based, and a cleaners & drivers building to accommodate around 200 staff.
The designs include natural lighting to reduce the need for artificial light during the day, roof top solar panels, rainwater reuse, sustainable drainage and the use of low carbon materials. Accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists has been incorporated into the design
‘Aspirational standards of sustainable design have guided the development of the architecture and integrated railway infrastructure’, said Alan McCartney, Partner at Glenn Howells Architects, on February 2. ‘Elegant industrial buildings are set within a heathland landscape with staff safety, wellness and operational efficiency at the core of each building’s design.’
