The first phase of HS2 between London and Birmingham has today (23 February 2017) been given Royal Assent. Since 2010, when the project was first raised, The Wildlife Trusts have campaigned against the proposed route because of the enormous impact that it will have on wildlife, and also to strongly challenge HS2 Ltd to raise their ambition for the natural environment.

HS2 Ltd has committed to secure ‘no net loss of biodiversity’ on a route wide basis but, from the outset, the environmental impacts of HS2 have not been properly taken into account and we believe that the funds allocated for compensation are wholly inadequate.

Paul Wilkinson, Head of Partnerships said: “At every step of the way, The Wildlife Trusts have worked tirelessly to encourage HS2 Ltd to properly account for the huge negative environmental impacts of HS2 Ltd and have pressed for them to be much more aspirational in how they deal with them. We developed our own Greener Vision which set out an ambitious vision for large-scale nature restoration along the route – creating and restoring large areas of habitat and providing new access to nature for people”.

Construction of the line will now begin in the spring. The Wildlife Trusts will continue to strongly encourage HS2 Ltd to strive for an overall biodiversity gain including continuing to identify sites where further habitat creation or improvement can be achieved. The Government announcement on Royal Assent also confirmed that communities confirmed that communities and businesses near the near the route can now begin to apply for funding to invest in, for example, nature conservation or local community facilities. There will be a total of £40m available through the Community and Environment Fund and the Business and Local Economy Fund.