Report of the Strategic Director (Growth & Development) attached

The Executive considered a report of the Strategic Director (Growth and Development), which outlined the Council’s proposed response to the HS2 hybrid Bill which had been deposited in  Parliament on 24 January 2022, the public consultations on the Environmental Statement (ES) and Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) for the Bill. The report further outlined the key areas on which the Council was proposing to petition against the hybrid Bill.

The Leader commented that the Council was fully supportive of the introduction of HS2 and NPR and the provision of stations at Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Airport.  However, the Council had consistently retained a clear position on the need to ensure that the schemes were delivered in a manner that fully complemented the connectivity, place-making, local employment, and sustainable growth objectives as set out in the Manchester Piccadilly Strategic Regeneration Framework (SRF) and the Greater Manchester HS2 and NPR Growth Strategy.  This had been reiterated in several responses to Government consultations on HS2 made in as well as through ongoing direct engagement with HS2 Ltd and DfT. 

The Leader stated that it was imperative to create a station at Manchester Piccadilly that was a world class, fully integrated transport hub which could actively maximise economic growth and the regeneration of the eastern side of the city centre.  A ‘Build it Once, Build it Right’ strategic approach to transport investment at Piccadilly would ensure the earliest transformation of Piccadilly Station; avoid significant and long-term disruption promote confidence in future investment.  

It was strongly believed that the design for Manchester Piccadilly High Speed station should specifically consider Piccadilly in terms of the integration between HS2, NPR, the wider rail network and local growth and regeneration and that the current surface terminus station proposed for Manchester station within the hybrid Bill.  The proposed surface terminus did not deliver the right solution to provide the required level of reliability and resilience to effectively support the wider High-Speed network. Furthermore, it significantly impacted on the delivery of the place-making and economic growth agenda set out in the approved Piccadilly SRF and the GM HS2 / NPR Growth Strategy.

Councillor Leech commented whether the proposed  re-opening of Withington Golf Club following the five year construction of the required ventilation shaft, headhouse and auto-transformer station at Palatine Road would be viable given the number of alternative golf courses in south Manchester.

The Leader noted this point and advised that this would be one of the areas included in the Councils petition response.

Decisions

The Executive:-

(1)     Note the deposit in Parliament of the HS2 Crewe-Manchester hybrid Bill and the accompanying Environmental Statement and Equality Impact Assessment.

(2)     Note and comment on the proposed contents of the City Council’s submission in response to the consultations on the HS2 Crewe-Manchester hybrid Bill Environmental Statement and Equality Impact Assessment.

(3)     Note Council approval to submit a petition to object to aspects of the HS2 Crewe-Manchester hybrid Bill and comment on the proposed areas for the City Council’s petition.

(4)     Delegate authority to the Strategic Director (Growth and Development), in consultation with the Leader and Executive Member for Environment, to finalise the responses to the HS2 Crewe-Manchester hybrid Bill Environmental Statement and Equality Impact Assessment and submit to Department for Transport