Landowners receive £1,000 for HS2 surveys
Banbury Road, Lower Boddington. Phlip and Suzie Freer whose home backs on to HS2 line.
ENVIRONMENT and engineering survey work is to begin along the planned route of the new high-speed rail line this month.
HS2 Ltd, the Government-owned developers for the project, will collate information for an ecology survey, as well as investigate ground condition and physical features of the route, which will feed into the environmental impact assessment and design work.
But campaigners against the controversial line between London and Birmingham, which will cut through the south Northamptonshire countryside, have previously argued the environmental impact assessment should have been carried out before the decision was approved last month.
Northamptonshire landowners affected by the line are to be offered an initial £1,000 access payment to allow contractors to enter on to private land in the initial stages of route development.
On top of the payment, HS2 Ltd agreed to further requests by the Country Land (CLA) and Business Association and the National Farmers Union to make additional payments if further environmental surveys were required and that HS2 Ltd will pay for any damage done or losses caused.
Northamptonshire based CLA spokesman Tim Barnes-Clay said: “We recognise that many CLA members would rather HS2 was dropped, but now it is confirmed we owe them a duty of care to ensure the work is carried out with as little damage and loss as possible. We are grateful to HS2 Ltd for taking account of our concerns.”
It comes as South Northamptonshire MP Andrea Leadsom helped to launch new anti-HS2 group, the HS2 Compensation and Mitigation Forum, with fellow MPs from all parties and areas, sceptical about the project.
Mrs Leadsom said, “Our position first and foremost is that we are against this project going ahead because it is a waste of taxpayers’ money and there are better options available that can be delivered far sooner.’
“However, just because we are against this project does not mean we should not discuss compensation and mitigation if the Government are determined to go ahead with this project.’
“My colleagues and I are determined to achieve the best deal for constituents in terms of compensation and mitigation and the best deal for all taxpayers as a whole.
“I am determined to keep the pressure on the Government and to scrutinise this project closely and I hope that this new group will allow us to achieve this.’
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There are 2 comments to this article
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lady muck
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 07:40 AMIt is right that the surveyors should pay for any damage caused, but if the landowners want £1,000 just to allow access, it will just be greed.
Common sense
Thursday, February 2, 2012 at 05:18 PMAs they are so against the project they should simply refuse to accept apyment and prevent the Environmental Study taking place..without which...no planning permission can be granted...or is this all about .....how much?
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