“Whether and how we proceed” were the words of The Prime Minister in relation to reviewing HS2, ahead of the ‘Notice to Proceed’ decision for Phase 1 from London to the West Midlands, which is due at the end of 2019.
The review is due to be submitted in the Autumn and will examine the whole project, including:
- Whether HS2’s latest estimates of costs and schedule are realistic
- Cancelling the project
- Building only Phase 1
- Combining Phases 1 and 2a
- Different choices or phasing of Phase 2b
- Impact of HS2 on Northern Powerhouse Rail
- Prioritising Phase 2b and Northern Powerhouse Rail over the southern sections.
If anything for those property owners/ occupiers in the North West, this announcement adds even more uncertainty to those already affected by HS2, and leaves the door open to further rail infrastructure schemes such as HS3 or the Liverpool-Manchester junctions that have recently been consulted on. If your clients are impacted by the scheme, professional advice from the outset is paramount and we would be delighted to assist.