Consultations

Blight Consultation

The Government plans to introduce a package of compensation measures over and above the statutory minimum to help those affected by property blight. Beginning in spring 2012 we will consult on a detailed set of proposals, enabling a new blight scheme to be in place in the autumn.

Safeguarding Consultation

Safeguarding boundaries will protect the land eventually needed to build and operate HS2 from the development of new construction projects. We intend to draw up a provisional set of boundaries and hold a consultation on them in spring 2012, at the same time as the consultation on blight proposals.

We will consult with the statutory bodies, including local highways authorities and planning authorities, which have a direct involvement in safeguarding issues. Their feedback will be used to finalise the arrangements for safeguarding, which we expect to be made in autumn 2012.

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

The EIA will provide an overall assessment of the significant effects the project is likely to have on the environment and proposals to avoid or minimise any significant negative impacts. The EIA will involve a scoping stage, on-going local engagement a report called an Environmental Statement. The responses that we received as part of the consultation on the Appraisal of Sustainability in 2011 will be used as a starting point for planning the EIA.

Scoping of the Environmental Impact Assessment

We have recently launched the consultation on the draft Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Scope and Methodology report, which will help define the ways in which an EIA for HS2 will be carried out. This is a technical consultation seeking responses relevant to the Scope and Methodology of the EIA process. We are specifically seeking comments from a list of relevant organisations and representatives identified for their expertise in this area.

The organisations will be asked to share their recommendations for what impacts should and should not be included in the assessment, how information will be collected and the method and criteria that would be used for analysing impacts. The responses will be reviewed and analysed and the scoping document refined, finalised and published.

We intend to have the finalised report ready to view online in summer 2012.

For further information on this consultation, please visit our consultation website at:

http://highspeedrail.dft.gov.uk/consultations/environmental-impact-assessment/scoping-and-methodology
    

Local Engagement

Throughout the EIA process, HS2 Ltd will listen to the concerns of those affected by the proposed London to West Midlands route. HS2 Ltd will inform the public on what those potential effects might be, listen to what they want in their community and discuss solutions to minimise impacts. We will do this in a variety of ways including setting up Community Forums. Our local engagement will allow us to review options and explore improvements with the community. We can then develop the design proposals in a way which incorporates local concerns.

Environmental Statement Public Consultation

An Environmental Statement will be prepared for deposit of the hybrid bill which will include matters such as community and property, landscape and visual impacts, biodiversity, surface water, ground water, archaeology, traffic and transport, waste and resources.

Our work on assessing likely environmental impacts, considering mitigation measures, and engaging with organisations and local communities will all feed into the Environmental Statement. There will be a public consultation on our draft Environmental Statement during the spring/summer of 2013.

This will provide an opportunity for the public and organisations to comment on how we have assessed the impacts and the proposed mitigation measures before the Hybrid Bill process. Once responses have been analysed, the Environmental Statement will be finalised and submitted to parliament as part of the Hybrid Bill process.

Leeds and Manchester

The Secretary of State has asked HS2 Ltd to develop route and station options for phase 2 by March 2012. We are working with local delivery partners, such as local councils and passenger transport executives, to identify station locations. Following the Secretary of State’s consideration of our report there will be a period of informal engagement to refine the routes before formal consultation, which the Secretary of State has committed to starting by January 2014.