Issue - meetings

Cabinet considered a response to the motion submitted to the Council on 18^th July 2013.

Councillor David Brickhill had proposed and Cllr Brendan Murphy had seconded the following motion:

“That if HS2 is to be built, Council will only support its construction if, where possible, to avoid agricultural land and buildings, the Cheshire East section is underground.”

Councillor Brickhill had been unable to attend the meeting but Councillor Murphy, as seconder of the motion, spoke on the matter.

Cabinet reaffirmed its commitment to HS2 and to securing maximum economic benefit for Cheshire East with minimal harm to land and property, including, where appropriate, the provision of tunnelling and bridges. In particular, the Council would be supporting the tunnelling of the line to Manchester Airport and would be arguing against extending the line to Wigan.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet

1.      notes the ongoing activities being undertaken to ensure that the Borough derives maximum economic benefit and minimal harm to land and property from the HS2 proposals; and

2.      reaffirms its commitment to continue to work with the local community and HS2 to change the current proposals, wherever possible and prudent to do so, to avoid the loss of agricultural land and buildings.