Council launches judicial review bid over routeing of lorries to HS2 construction sites

Buckinghamshire Council has issued judicial review proceedings against decisions made by the Planning Inspector relating to lorry routes through the county used in the construction of HS2.

Councillors at the local authority had voiced concerns over how lorries assisting the construction of the railway could cause disruption on certain roads in the area.

Buckinghamshire refused at least six routes proposed by HS2. 

However, HS2 appealed against the non-determination of two of its applications by the council – those relating to Brackley Road and the Wendover Green Tunnel.

The appeals were allowed by the Planning Inspector, and the council has lodged challenges against these decisions. 

Cllr Steven Broadbent, Cabinet Member for Transport at Buckinghamsire, said: “The decision to go ahead and take these appeals to the High Court is the right thing to do for our residents and communities. Following counsel's advice, we believe we have a strong reason to challenge the decisions of the Inspector in allowing the lorry routes to be used which will have an enormous and detrimental impact on our local roads."

Cllr Broadbent added: “The council had sought further information considered necessary to carry out our statutory duty to assess the impacts of the proposed routes.”

A separate Planning Inspector dealt with four other appeals made by HS2 relating to separate routes. The Planning Inspector again allowed all four of these appeals.

The council has submitted the claims and is waiting to receive leave to appeal.

In October, the Court of Appeal refused an application for judicial review from Hillingdon Council over a similar dispute concerning the routeing of HS2 lorries through the area.

Lord Justice Lindblom dismissed Hillingdon’s appeal as it had “no real prospect of success on any of the grounds”.

Adam Carey