Monday, December 18, 2017

News: HS2 correct demolition data

By

HS2 Ltd made a "drafting error" when it published a confirmed change of the high speed route through South Yorkshire, a decision that is affecting a number of property owners in Rotherham.

The percentage decrease of demolitions by switching the route from Meadowhall to the M18 is not 81% as reported by HS2 Ltd in July, but is now being reported by HS2 Ltd as 41%.

Superseding a 2013 route with a station at Meadowhall, the 2016 option proposes that HS2 services between London and Sheffield would take a spur off the new north-south high speed line and travel directly to the existing Sheffield Midland station using the existing railway line. These trains will also call at Chesterfield.

The fast route to Leeds through the East of Rotherham would affect Wales, Aston, Ulley, Brampton-en-le–Morthen, Thurcroft, Bramley, Ravenfield and Hooton Roberts. A new housing estate at Mexborough will also have to make way.

HS2 Ltd compared an unpublished refined route through Meadowhall with the new route on the M18 / Eastern alignment and the Government is justifying its decision based on demand; the needs of Sheffield and the wider region; connectivity with the existing rail network and the wider transport network; topography, urban density and the environment; and cost.

Advertisement

The recent correction reads:

Correction, December 2017
A drafting error in paragraph 2.7.46 means that the 81 percent figure is incorrect, this figure related to the percentage decrease in the total number of demolitions (not the number of properties eligible for compensation), it had also been calculated from a previous version of HS2 Ltd's advice. The correct figure for the reduction in properties eligible for statutory compensation and non-statutory property schemes is 41 percent. This does not include figures for the Need to Sell scheme which has no geographic boundary and is judged on a case by case basis. Therefore the text of the document has been changed to include the wording "distance bound non-statutory property schemes."

Text currently reads
Overall the M18 / Eastern route leads to a reduction in the number of properties that would fall into safeguarding, and results in 90 fewer demolitions than the 2013 consulted route. The M18 / Eastern route has an 81 percent reduction in the total number of properties that would be eligible for statutory compensation and non-statutory property schemes compared to the Meadowhall alignment.

Text should read
Overall the M18 / Eastern route leads to a reduction in the number of properties that would fall into safeguarding, and results in 90 fewer demolitions than the 2013 consulted route. The M18 / Eastern route has a 41 percent reduction in the total number of properties that would be eligible for statutory compensation and distance bound non-statutory property schemes compared to the Meadowhall alignment.


Sir Kevin Barron, the MP for Rother Valley, has criticised HS2 and the Government over its use of "wobbly data" and says his constituency will suffer the impact of the proposed route between Birmingham and Leeds but receive none of the benefits of a direct stop.

The MP took to Twitter to accuse the Government of "sneaking out" the correction, stating that HS2 got the housing demolition figures completely wrong and have no way of knowing the final figure as it doesn't include the Need to Sell Scheme.

An HS2 appraisal of potential demolitions associated with the routes through South Yorkshire showed that the 2013 Meadowhall route would result 141 potential demolitions. The Refined Meadowhall route, not seen by the public, would result in 127 potential demolitions and the M18/ Eastern Route would result in 51 potential demolitions.

Using up-to-date maps, local groups suggests around 500 demolitions on the new route, compared to 100 on the Meadowhall route.

In HS2 Ltd's advice to Government published in July it stated regarding the Broadlands Estate in Bramley that it does not expect to have to demolish any property on the estate but admitted that "this is likely to change with ongoing design development, construction planning and environmental assessment. For example, demolitions resulting from ancillary works, mitigation and realignment of existing infrastructure (such as roads and railways) are not included at this stage."

HS2 Ltd website

Images: HS2 Ltd

0 comments:

Members:
Supported by:
More news...

  © Blogger template Newspaper III by Ourblogtemplates.com 2008

Back to TOP