HS2 Proposed Hollies Vent Shaft

Located close to the Fielden College site (Barlow Moor Road) and the houses on Mersey Meadows.

This information is taken from a summary email provided after the public meeting held on Tuesday 25th July at Didsbury Mosque. Involved in the meeting, in addition to the large local turnout, were all 3 Didsbury West Councillors.

Local Councillors made representations to the Council’s Executive on Wednesday 26th July on the implications of the vent shaft on the local community. Footage of the meeting will be uploaded here soon: Agenda for Executive on Wednesday, 26th July, 2023, 2.00 pm (manchester.gov.uk).

In this representation local councillors specifically asked the council to make their petition much more robust on the location of the Hollies vent shaft to avoid letting HS2 badly mitigate their way out of a bad proposal and somehow suggest that it would be a victory for local people. Unfortunately, the Councillors voted to base the recommendations on the report unamended. As it stands, we only have verbal assurances that the Council will oppose the location of the vent shaft. We will continue to engage with the Council to make this position abundantly clear.

Here is a full breakdown of the information that was shared at Tuesday evening’s meeting and the various contacts and links you may find useful.

Please find attached:

• A copy of the proposed objection by West Didsbury Residents’ Association (please note this is version 1 and subject to changes, especially pending additions on ecological and environmental concerns)
• A copy of the presentation in PDF format (if you have any issues accessing this document, please let us know)
• The template petition form
• Petition submission guidance
• A copy of the report which went to the executive this afternoon (relevant section highlighted in yellow)

Please find useful links below:

• Link to the HS2 documentation hub: HS2 Phase 2b: High Speed Rail (Crewe – Manchester) Additional Provision 2
• Link to the map: S3_Plans.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk) Page: 53, S21.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk)
• Link to the Alternatives report: HS2 Phase 2b SES2 and AP2 ES Volume 5: Alternatives report
• Link to the background documentation: HS2 Phase 2b SES2 and AP2 ES Volume 5: Technical appendices and Map books
• Link to the HS2 Environmental Consultation site (this is for any environmental considerations) deadline August 31st: High Speed Rail (Crewe – Manchester) Additional Provision 2 Environmental Statement and Supplementary Environmental Statement 2 Consultation
• Link to the background news on the Canterbury Work Site at Kilburn: Canterbury Works Headhouse and Ventilation Shaft - HS2

Important contacts:

• If you would like to support WDRA’s objection, please email info@westdidsbury.org.uk with your name and address, which will be added to the objection.NB, this needs to be done prior to our deadline of 9 August.
• You may also which to join WDRA if you are not already a member to support their work in our community. You can join here: West Didsbury Residents Association, West Didsbury, Manchester
• West Didsbury Residents’ Association can also be contacted directly by emailing info@westdidsbury.org.uk. The inbox is monitored by the chair, Dr Nicola Herd
• HS2’s public relations contact for our section of the route is Stephen Cunningham: Stephen.cunningham@hs2.org.uk
• MP’s office: jeff.smith.mp@parliament.uk
• If you wish to be put in contact with residents at Mersey Meadows, The Hollies, Riverside Court, Riverside lodge or Northenden please get in touch on the email address above, and we will ensure that those details are provided with permission from them.

Local Councillors will also be consulting with:

• Manchester City Council’s flood team
• Environment Agency consultants
• Manchester Islamic Educational Trust
• Didsbury Mosque
• Interested journalists

Finally. a reminder, even if you feel work on HS2 should cease completely, if your petition presents this view, unfortunately, it is unlikely to gain any traction or be seriously considered. Please do focus solely on the impact of the Hollies vent shaft proposal on you and the local community.