A local MP has said he is "really disappointed" and "very angry" that HS2 has been granted permission to send hundreds more lorries through Balsall Common every day.

An appeal to send up to 188 lorries each way along Waste Lane and Kelsey Lane was won by HS2 earlier this month, despite objections from locals and Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council (SMBC).

The council had blocked the original application, branding the plans unsafe.

But the decision has since been overturned by a planning inspector who said HS2's proposed road safety measures would make the route acceptable for HGV's.

Following the decision MP for Meriden, Saqib Bhatti, said: "I’ve been campaigning on this since I was elected, so suffice to say that I am deeply disappointed, and actually very angry at this decision.

"This decision was based on the planning inspector’s report. The need for the planning inspectorate to reflect local communities' views to is something I have already spoken on in parliament, and reform on the way the planning inspectorate operates cannot come soon enough.

"I also recently spoke on HS2 in parliament, and their proposed usage of Kelsey Lane and Waste Lane. I made it clear just how inappropriate I thought the usage of these narrow residential lanes would be. My view on this remains unchanged."

The Conservative MP - who recently accused HS2 of treating residents with "contempt" - also said he was working with the council to minimise the impact of the new route on local residents.

Hundreds of HS2 lorries will now be able to move down the A452 before turning onto Kelsey Lane and Waste Lane (Image via planning application)

SMBC had asked for a condition to be placed on the application to prevent HS2 using the road during school drop off and collection times.

But the report said the request had "not been justified as being necessary".

Following the announcement, leader of the council Cllr Ian Courts said: "I was not happy to receive the news that the appeal decision on the use of Waste Lane for lorries to the HS2 site in Balsall Common had gone against the council. 

"I have met with officers and our local MP, Saqib Bhatti, to start the process of taking advice and reviewing all options and courses of action in relation to this."

The approved application includes new 20mph speed limits along Kelsey Lane and Windmill Lane and a mini roundabout at the junction of Kelsey Lane, Waste Lane and Windmill Lane.

Possible traffic calming for Waste Lane and Kelsey Lane (image via planning application)

Alternatives

When planning permission was refused last March, councillors labelled the plans as "clearly unsafe" and said HS2 should instead be using the Hallmeadow Road route.

HS2 said this was not possible as it had not bought all the necessary land to build the route.

However, councillors made it clear there was no planning issue here, and said it was not the council's fault that HS2 has not acquired all the land it needs.

Councillors also said that HS2 had ignored the option of reinforcing its Truggist Hill Farm bridge to cross the West Coast Mainline.

Estimated daily HGV movements through Balsall Common (image via planning application)

But the report from the secretary of state said using the village centre as the hall route was the only viable option available at the moment.

"They [secretaries of state] further note the Inspector's conclusion that until such time as it has either been purchased or leased the required third-party land the route via Hallmeadow Road should not be considered as a genuine alternative to the proposed LGV route," it said.

(Header image via gov.uk)

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