THE new boss of Warwickshire Wildlife Trust’s first job has been to set out the environmental concerns of the controversial HS2 railway line.
Ed Green, who has taken over as chief executive from Stephen Trotter, delivered what he described as an unprecedented document detailing those concerns to Westminster last week.
It questioned the importance being given to its ecological impact, the loss of biodiversity and habitat from eight ancient woodlands in the county and the partial loss of 18 local wildlife sites.
Mr Green was joined in London by the bosses of other affected wildlife trusts as well as national representatives of the Wildlife Trusts to push for changes to the bill.
“HS2 will have a devastating effect on Warwickshire’s wildlife,” he said.
“It affects irreplaceable ancient woodlands, county important wildlife sites and acts as a barrier to wildlife movement across the landscape.
“However, it is clear from the Bill, and the accompanying Environmental Statement, that many of these issues still remain poorly assessed or unresolved. This is why we believed it was necessary to petition the bill.”
Mr Green has taken over as head of the WWT after seven years at Derbyshire’s trust. He has a background in zoology and marine biology having worked for the United Nations Environment Programme for a number of years as well as research institutions and universities in the UK and USA.
Mr Trotter has taken up the post of director for England at the Wildlife Trusts’ headquarters in Newark after three years at Brandon.
– The county council has detailed its own list of demands in a 65-page document sent to MPs.
It contains a number of major requests including building a 1.2km dual carriageway to widen a section of the A446 near Coleshill, introducing a Special Management Zone for the North Warwickshire area affected by phases one and two of the scheme, proposing an alternative site for the controversial Kingsbury railhead and an improvement or rebuilding of Middleton Village Hall.
Improvements have also been requested to Kenilworth Greenway, a replacement village hall at Burton Green, a deep bored tunnel under South Cubbington Wood and compensation measures for disruption in Southam, Kenilworth and Coleshill.
A total of 44 miles of HS2 route will travel through Warwickshire.
