What is HS2?
The Secretary of State for Transport published on 20th December 2010, the Government’s proposed line of route between London and the West Midlands for consultation. A national high speed rail network is intended to reduce journey times and increase capacity between cities, bringing London within 49 minutes of Birmingham, and to within 80 minutes or less of both Manchester and Leeds.
The proposed Y-shaped national high speed rail network linking London to Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds, and including stops in the East Midlands and South Yorkshire, will cost approximately £32 billion to construct. It has been estimated this project will generate benefits of around £44 billion, as well as revenues totaling a further £27 billion. On 10 January 2010, the Secretary of State give the green light for the building of the first phase of the route, from London to Birmingham.
How is the HS2 project being put through Parliament?
For the HS2 project to be brought forward it will almost certainly be done through a Hybrid Bill. This is a public Bill generally initiated by, or on behalf of, the Government. This Bill, in its general sense, is treated no differently from a private Bill running through the various passages in Parliament. The Hybrid Bill can be approached or amendments can be sought before an Elected Select Committee dealing specifically with the HS2 Project. Essentially what would be covered within this Hybrid Bill will be provision for blight, compensation, land acquisition, powers to compulsory acquire, planning permissions and any other consent that may be required to facilitate the provision of the HS2 Project.
Are you affected?
On the 1st March 2011, the Department for Transport published the formal consultation to the Government’s preferred route, which cuts across open countryside, farmland, areas of outstanding natural beauty. The proposed route will also cut across many homes and blight properties and those who are affected will need to consider whether the benefits of this scheme justify the costs. There are also wider issues, such as the potential for HS2 to contribute to regeneration, likely job creation and the effect on carbon emissions and other environmental impacts. The proposed route will be confirmed at the end of the 2011, following the close of the public consultation. You can
view the proposed route here.
What can you do if you are affected?
The Government will be launching a 12 week consultation (probably starting in June 2012) to review alternative compensation schemes. Until the new scheme is announced at the end of consultation, the Government will continue with the discretionary Exceptional Hardship Scheme (EHS) to deal with those people who have properties near the proposed route but will not be physically affected. Those affected can start making an application now for a payment under the (EHS). The EHS will close once the preferred route has been formally confirmed and will subsequently be replaced by statutory blight which will be set out in the hybrid bill, that is yet to be presented to Parliament.
How Wright Hassall can help you
We have considerable experience dealing with large public projects and in supporting residents in facing the issues they create. For example we were previously involved in the support and presentation of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link Bill (also a Hybrid Bill) (commonly referred to as HS1) and the M40 development. We can help with advice on statutory blight where appropriate, the compulsory acquisition of land and its issues of compensation.
We can also advise on the procedural aspects of the Hybrid Bill, so whether you support or oppose the HS2 Project, it is crucial that your view is heard either through the current consultation or following the assembly of the Select Committee dealing with this project. Call Jane Senior or Pritpal Singh Swarn to find out more about how we can help you.
Updated April 2012
