Further to HS2 issuing Ground Investigation Survey Licences to land owners and occupiers during the Summer of 2018, entry is now being scheduled to take place from June 2019 for a period of 9 weeks. This will be to carry out Non-Intrusive Surveys carried out mainly on foot or occasionally by using a small vehicle or 4×4 to carry equipment, it will not involve any excavations at this stage.
Intrusive Surveys have been scheduled for the third quarter of the year and are expected to take 21 weeks from start to finish. However, the Planning Application for the compound where the equipment and cabins are to be sited is only due to be decided in September, Rostons expect much of the works to be carried out during the Winter and into early 2020.
All land owners affected by Ground Investigation Surveys will receive a minimum of 10 days notice prior to entry and HS2 are required to attend a pre-entry meeting before the Contractors take access to agree entry routes and any other issues affecting the site.
Rostons are liaising with HS2 and their Contractors, Balfour Beatty, to try and ensure this process is as smooth as possible and reduce the impacts on land owners. It is expected that the monitoring equipment within the bore holes will be in place for up to a year.
In addition, HS2 advise that updated plans showing the design of the scheme are likely to be available in late 2019 or early 2020 and these will be available from HS2’s website.
For further information contact the Rostons office on 01829 773000