REPORT TO PICKMERE PARISH COUNCIL
1st August 2023
AGENDA ITEM 9.3 HS2B – LATEST POSITION AND FUTURE ACTION
1. REPORT OF ACTING CLERK
Update re the proposed HS2B scheme
1.1 Since the Select Committee consideration of the Parish Council’s petition, HS2 Ltd have published so-called Additional Provision 2 (AP2). The Additional Provisions define proposed amendments to the detailed scheme that has been submitted for the Select Committee’s consideration. Generally, APs are HS2’s proposed scheme alterations as a result of discussions with petitioners, with the aim of reducing the number of objections to which the scheme is subject.
1.2 AP2 in fact relates to changes upside Pickmere parish’s boundary. What is more directly related to Pickmere is the hopeful submission of an AP which will hopefully contain an amendment which shows Budworth Road remaining open into the long term and the consequential detailed changes to the scheme. This AP should also show that there are no proposed changes to the character of School Lane and Frog Lane, since these lanes should not be required to accommodate substantial numbers of HGVs servicing the construction of the railway. However, until the further AP is published, there can be no confidence that these changes will be proposed.
1.3 The deadline for submission of any petition in relation to AP2 is mid-August.
Parish Council future action on HS2
1.4 Some discussion has taken place between your Chair and the former parish councillors who have been primarily involved in the HS2 petition process and unfortunately, for a number of reasons, those persons have stated that they are unwilling to take any further action on behalf of the Parish Council in relation to this scheme. Accordingly, it is for Council to decide how any action is to be pursued in relation to AP2, to any future APs, and then beyond in relation to potential future discussions and negotiations with HS2 Ltd and/or Cheshire East Council on the scheme. If the scheme proceeds, CEC will be highly involved in the details of how construction work is to be organised and will be the crucial body which will monitor the work of HS2 contractors on the ground, and pursue enforcement against them (if required).
1.5 It is pointed out that any councillor becoming involved in this project will have to undertake some initial research into the project, its recent history, etc. An initial task would be to:
• Familiarise themselves with the scheme content as it affects Pickmere.
• Read the Council’s petition against the scheme.
• Read the script in relation to the PC’s submission to the Select Committee and view the slides.
• View the Council’s appearance before the Committee.
• Familiarise themselves with AP2 and the process of submitting a petition to the Select Committee.
2. RECOMMENDATION
2.1 That the report be noted and Council decide accordingly.
Jack Steel
Acting Clerk to the Parish Council