The government has today published its proposed route for phase two of the HS2 high speed rail line from Birmingham to Manchester and Leeds.
The feedback gained from the public consultation will play a key role in informing transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin’s decision on a final route, station and depot options by the end of 2014.
Phase two will also have connections to the West and East Coast Main Lines to serve the rest of the North of England and Scotland.
The phase two consultation will run for six months and will be accompanied by a series of public information events from mid-October 2013 to early January 2014 where people will be able to review local information and speak directly with HS2 staff about the proposals.
The government has also today launched an exceptional hardship scheme to assist property owners during the early stages of phase two’s development. The scheme is designed to assist owner-occupiers of residential, agricultural, and small business property before the route itself is firmed up.
The EHS is a temporary scheme to help those people who are experiencing, or are at risk of experiencing, exceptional hardship because they can not sell their properties.
Successful applicants will have their properties purchased at 100% of their un-blighted open market value; that is, the value of the property were there no proposals for phase two of HS2.
As plans for the phase two line are firmed up, the government has confirmed that it will also consider options for further long-term discretionary compensation and will shortly be launching a fresh consultation on such options for phase one. This is in addition to statutory compensation measures.
Phase two is expected to be open to passengers in 2033.
lisa.pilkington@estatesgazette.com
