Upcoming Events :
Housing Seminar: Partnerships with the Public Sector – Avoiding the pitfalls
Thu 31 May 2012
Minerva House, 5 Montague Close, London, SE1 9BB
HS2 to commence environmental survey
Fri 03 Feb 2012
HS2 is to commence an environmental survey as part of an effort to reduce the project's impact on flora and fauna.
Concerns over the effects of a high-speed rail network on the natural world led to strong opposition against the project in some parts of the country.
However, the proposed infrastructure upgrade has since been approved by the government, which has pledged to take steps to minimise its impact on the environment.
The surveys will aim to identify animal habitats and plants in areas along the planned route, which runs from London to Birmingham.
Alison Munro, HS2's chief executive, said she is "very pleased" that the assessments are about to begin.
She stated that they should enable the organisation to gauge the impact of the network on various sites in much more detail than it has been able to do before.
Hazel Anderson, a solicitor at Winckworth Sherwood, commented: "It is encouraging to see HS2 moving forward to the next phase in preparation for a hybrid Bill."
The first phase of the project between London and Birmingham is expected to be up and running by 2026.
