Woodland Trust response to Environmental Audit Committee HS2 report
Today the Environmental Audit Committee has published a report following its recent inquiry into the HS2 and the Environment, during which Woodland Trust Senior Conservation Advisor, Richard Barnes, gave evidence.
The Woodland Trust is delighted with the final report which makes a number of valuable points including:
- Parliament, in its capacity as the planning authority for HS2, should ensure that everything possible is done to minimise damage to ancient woodlands and SSSIs and that where loss is genuinely unavoidable, that compensation is applied to the fullest extent possible. Ancient woodlands… should not be subordinated to crude economic calculations of cost and benefit.
- It is imperative that an infrastructure project on such a large scale implements proper environmental safeguards and ensures that impacts are minimised. This means adopting stringent, enforceable standards and setting aside adequate funding. That won't happen if HS2 Ltd can avoid implementing safeguards if they consider them to be 'impracticable' or 'unreasonable'. There needs to be a separate ring-fenced budget for these safeguards and for compensation, separate from the rest of the HS2 budget, to prevent the environment being squeezed if HS2 costs grow.
- Because of its biodiversity value, loss of ancient woodland has permanent adverse effect on the natural environment. While compensation measures are necessary, and should be increased further than is currently planned, compensatory measures for ancient woodland should not count in the calculation of overall 'no net biodiversity loss'.
- Damage to ancient woodland, an irreplaceable resource, also raises the questions of proper application of the environmental 'mitigation hierarchy': compensation measures should only be implemented as a last resort, if adverse effects cannot be avoided or mitigated. The Committee calls upon Parliament to ensure that the mitigation hierarchy will be followed fully.
- Joan Walley MP said: “So far the consultation process on HS2 has not fully addressed the many environmental concerns we have. It is imperative that Parliament itself now takes on that role. Our report will inform the second reading debate. But looking beyond that, we will make sure that the committee examining petitions against HS2's environmental damage get properly scrutinised.”
Commenting on the report, Woodland Trust Senior Conservation Advisor Richard Barnes said: “The EAC have done an excellent job to produce an authoritative report ahead of the Second Reading of the HS2 Hybrid Bill. The Committee teased out vital evidence and asked pertinent questions as part of their inquiry, and today they have published a report that is spot on in terms of highlighting what needs to be done before Government or HS2 Ltd can really claim to have taken their environmental responsibilities seriously.
“We're delighted that the EAC is unequivocal in its call for more work to be done to minimise the harmful environmental impacts of HS2, especially on irreplaceable habitats including ancient woodland.
“Our research has found at least 48 ancient woods at risk of suffering loss or damage on Phase 1 of HS2. The Environmental Statement only recognised 19, was missing data and contained multiple inaccuracies. Today we are pleased to see recognition and recommendations by the EAC that more work needs to be done.
“This report should now be essential reading for all MPs ahead of the second reading of the Hybrid Bill on April 28.”
Notes:
The Woodland Trust's analysis of the full impact of HS2 on ancient woodland can be found here:
http://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/news/press-releases/hs2-es-submission/
