Full steam ahead for HS2 as anti-HS2 campaigners fail on nine out of ten objections at High Court

Justice Ouseley ruled that the property compensation consultation was ‘all in all so unfair as to be unlawful’ and said that it would need to be rerun.

The Department for Transport has said it will not appeal this decision but that it will seek to recoup legal costs from the 15 local authorities who brought the case to court.

The compensation challenge argued the Government provided inadequate information during consultation preventing people from forming an opinion.

However, campaigners failed to convince the judge on nine other objections, including that there was poor assessment of HS2’s environmental impact.

The Government claims the ruling will not cause a significant delay to the HS2 line from London to Birmingham being built by 2025.

The Department for Transport tweeted: “Full speed ahead after landmark high court victory for HS2.”

High speed rail minister Simon Burns said: “This is a major, landmark victory for HS2 and the future of Britain. The judge has categorically given the green light for the government to press ahead without delay in building a high speed railway from London to Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds.”

“HS2 is the most significant infrastructure investment the UK has seen in modern times and a project the country cannot afford to do without. The judgement ensures that nothing now stands in the way of taking our plans to Parliament.”

“We will now move forward as planned with the crucial business of getting the scheme ready for construction in 2017 and delivering enormous benefits for the country.”

“We have listened to the judge’s comments about the property compensation consultation and to save time and public money we will reconsult on this aspect - but this will not delay HS2. We remain fully committed to fairly compensating the public who are impacted by the scheme.”