Stop HS2 protesters in Lichfield
Stop HS2 protesters in Lichfield

A date has been set for a legal challenge against plans for a high speed rail line which would cut through Lichfield and surrounding villages.

Lichfield District Council is joining 14 other local authorities to challenge the Government’s decision to press ahead with the £33billion HS2 project through the courts.

All five cases against HS2, including the one launched by the 51m group, will be heard together over a seven-day period in the High Court of Justice starting on December 3.

Councillor Alan White, Lichfield District Council’s cabinet member for development services, said: “We formally declared our opposition to HS2 in 2011, and have been working with 14 other local authorities to fight the decision to create a high speed rail.

“We believe the business case has not been proven and are deeply concerned that our residents will have all the disruption of a new line with none of the benefits.

“We are pleased the date for the court case has been set and look forward to the hearing when local councils can represent their residents’ rights.”

The original grounds for the legal challenge included concerns over an inadequate consultation programme and a decision being made despite a lack of environmental impact information.

Martin Tett, the chairman of the 51m alliance of the local councils challenging the rail scheme and Leader of Buckinghamshire County Council, said: “The decision is good not just for the people we represent in 15 local authority areas but for hard pressed taxpayers across the entire country.

“The hearing in December will give us the chance to show exactly why we believe the decision to proceed with HS2 is unlawful. We took the decision to go down the legal route with great reluctance but we still feel the Government left us with no alternative.

“Following HS2 Limited’s own announcement this week that over 400 consultation responses were ‘mislaid’ and therefore ignored during their consultation last summer, the Judge has given his permission to amend the claim.

“Those responses missed out included three of the four claimants in the case – HS2 Action Alliance, the Heathrow Hub and Cherwell District Council. This is further evidence of the appalling and inadequate way in which HS2 have handled the entire process.”

Founder of Lichfield Live and editor of the site.