Alternative route found for access to the planned HS2 tunnel vent shaft at Chalfont St Peter
An alternative route has been found for access to the planned HS2 tunnel vent shaft at Chalfont St Peter.
The new route was found after Buckinghamshire County Council, Chiltern District Council and HS2 contractors, Align, worked together closely to find a better solution for access to the planned tunnel vent shaft.
Originally HS2 Ltd planned to use Chesham Lane, Denham Lane and Joiners Lane as their construction route. However this was deemed unsuitable because of its proximity to Robertswood School, Montessori Nursery School, the Epilepsy Society and Woodland Manor Care Home.
Under the original proposal route the HS2 traffic would be too close to young children and vulnerable adults walking along the road and there was concern about parking problems along the route.
In 2015 Buckinghamshire County Council and Chalfont St Peter Parish Council originally asked Parliament to provide an alternative haul road across land between the A413 Amersham Road and Chesham Lane. At that time HS2 Ltd acknowledged some benefits, but said that, on balance, it was too expensive and not feasible.
The contractors have now looked at the detailed design and agreed the alternative haul road would be a better and safer solution. On Monday 16th December 2019 a planning application by the contractors, which was consulted upon, was approved by the Planning Committee of Chiltern District Council.
During the consultation period for the planning application no comment was made by Historic England and no objection was raised by Natural England. However, a condition of planning permission is a full site restoration plan to mitigate the temporary environmental effect on the character of the area.
For a minimum of four years the Chalfont St Peter construction compound will be in use with busy traffic for around 10 months of up to 106 two way heavy lorry movements a day during the peak construction months.
The construction of the vent shaft is expected to start early in 2020.
*Source of article : Press release from Buckinghamshire County Council.
