The appearance of a new car park for the High Speed Rail Interchange Station has been approved by Solihull planners. 

HS2 submitted the application which has been given the go-ahead by Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council.

The car park's access, general appearance, landscaping and layout has all been approved. 

There are future plans for electric vehicle charging parking stations at the site. Also proposed are car park canopies; external seating; bollards and CCTV. All these will need final approval before installation.

Solihull Council originally gave planning approval to the HS2 Interchange Station in 2020, which will serve Solihull, Birmingham Airport and the NEC.

The Local Democracy Reporter Service recently reported on five major HS2 highways projects which gained planning approval. These included new bridges, dual-carriageway and roundabout along the route.

The layout of the new car park (image via planning application)

HS2 is planned to open before 2033 and would run between London and Birmingham. Last year it was announced the government was scrapping the northern leg of HS2.

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Elsewhere planners have given the green light to a private hospital to install solar panels on its roof. 

Solihull planners have approved Spire Parkway Hospital, in Damson Parkway, put 181 photovoltaic solar panels on its pitched roofs. 

Planning officers in their report said no objections were received from neighbours including no comments about "the impact of glare on occupiers". 

And Solihull Council has received an application from Persimmon Homes to cut back a protected tree as it is covering a basketball net. 

The tree, just off Dog Kennel Lane in Shirley, has a tree preservation order on it so the firm has applied for it to be crown lifted by four metres to "provide clearance for basketball net." 

Solihull Council says the application was originally submitted last June with a decision still to be made.