Councillors slam suggestion of building rail depot on Chelmsley Wood's greenbelt

OUTCRY: Solihull Council have slammed plans to build a HS2 maintenance
depot on Chelmsley Wood's doorstep

COUNCILLORS have voted unanimously to oppose proposals to build a high-speed rail maintenance depot on farmland near Chelmsley Wood.
It had previously been agreed that the marshalling yard, which will be used to store train carriages and wagons, would be developed on derelict land at Washwood Heath, Birmingham.
But recently a group of MPs argued that the inner-city site could be put to better use and have instead thrown their weight behind finding an alternative location.
Two sites in the borough have been suggested. The first is the area of greenbelt land next to Chelmsley, with a separate site at Birmingham International Station also under consideration.
With the HS2 line already set to pass within a few hundred metres of Yorkminster Drive, residents are appalled by the thought of further disruption and loss of open space.
At this week’s Full Council meeting, a motion was put forward by Councillor Karl Macnaughton (Green, Chelmsley Wood), calling on members to make their feelings known to HS2 Ltd.
“You can imagine how a maintenance yard with tens of long trains being maintained overnight will fit in with the local environment,” he said.
“It would involve engineering works, cleaning, all under enormous floodlights with the peak working period being midnight to 5am.”
Councillors across the political divide rose during the debate to voice their concerns.
Speaking to this blog following the meeting, Coun Macnaughton warned of the huge impact that the depot would have locally.
“With HS2 already blighting Chelmsley Wood and taking up our green space, which we can’t afford to lose, it would be a big kick in the teeth to have the maintenance depot tacked on to the edge of Chelmsley Wood as well.
“It’s the landowners and property developers at Washwood Heath who want the depot in our back yard… as it would be in their financial interests.”

CONCERN: Coun Karl Macnaughton

Meriden MP Caroline Spelman has also waded into row and last month vowed to “strongly resist” the proposals.
However, her fellow Member of Parliament Lorely Burt, who represents the neighbouring constituency of Solihull, is among those who believe a depot could be a big boost for local employment.
“There is a huge opportunity to create 600 jobs in Solihull and several thousand in one of the poorest areas in East Birmingham,” she said. “However, I would point out that the Chelmsley Wood site is just one alternative.”