We now need to SHOUT about HS2 Phase 2b safeguarding
Don’t expect to see this train between Birmingham and Leeds - but can we expect to see anything else if the Government continues to unnecessarily drag its feet?
HS2's 'high hopes and bruising reality' received a further kicking in the House of Commons by the Transport Secretary in June, following the publication of the Stewart review and an assessment from HS2's own Chief Executive that made clear that "the “overall situation with respect to cost, schedule and scope is unsustainable”.
Changes are undoubtedly coming in the management of the programme which we strongly welcome. It's not the only HS2-related matter that is deserving of the Transport Secretary's time however.
Eighteen months after HS2 Phase 2b between Birmingham and Leeds was unceremoniously cancelled, the land safeguarded for that original purpose remains safeguarded.
Why, given this has absolutely zero benefit for the Government and directly acts as a drag on regional economies in Yorkshire and the East Midlands?
Here's my assessment from the dark days of 2021:
“Huge amounts of good quality, developable land is currently blighted by the route, including consented land earmarked in the East Midlands and Yorkshire for primarily Manufacturing and Logistics development. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, this land is highly sought after with a resulting squeeze in supply.
The Government’s decision to retain safeguarding status is a classic case of having your cake and eating it. It prevents any of this land being brought forward for commercial development unimpeded, acting as a further brake on regional growth and undermining any arguments of further levelling up, whilst not providing a hint of a long-stop date for the completion of the options work. It leaves affected land developers utterly in the dark as to what happens next.“
Four years later, we're still here.
It's also continuing to affect Local Plan making, an essential element of delivering one of the Government's key priorities: building 1.5m homes during this Parliament. Read the link below to read how safeguarding is affecting the development of North West Leicestershire's emerging Local Plan:
https://lnkd.in/dEp5Dx26
The left hand and right hand aren't working with each other folks. It's also crucial to remember that in an era of squeezed public spending and difficult decisions, removing safeguarding status for this land carries no additional cost to the state.
The answer is a simple one. There is no good reason for the Government to retain any form of status for this land on the route of the cancelled Phase 2b. It's high time for the Department for Transport to immediately remove it without excuse.
Given the Department for Transport’s continued intransigence or apathy (other epithets are available), I will instead be writing to other Government departments - in particular the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government - over the next few days to highlight this ongoing madness and the need for a swift decision to put this debacle to bed. Get in contact with me if you want to help get this laggard removed and for developers and local planning authorities get on with their essential jobs unimpeded.