• FRIDAY is the first anniversary of the High Speed Rail (London-West Midlands) Act receiving royal assent.

While the bill was before parliament, I did my utmost to oppose HS2 and made a number of appearances before the select committees in both houses. Over the last year, my focus has been to work with all the communities adversely affected by HS2, to mitigate its impact.

I meet a group of community activists monthly to listen to what they would like me to do, while briefing them on the actions that I have been taking. These meetings are organised by CHARGE (Camden HS2 Association of Residents’ Groups for Engagement).

I also meet regularly with both Georgia Gould, leader of Camden Council, and with Camden officers. While we have many similar concerns about HS2, we recognise that Camden Council has specific responsibilities whether as a housing, education or planning authority. My focus is to advocate the interests of those I represent.

I also have quarterly meetings with David Higgins, the chair of HS2. I seek to ensure that HS2 comply with the “assurances” which community groups secured as part of the petitioning process.

Current issues include noise insulation, air quality, construction traffic, rail not road for the transport of spoil and construction materials, compulsory purchase orders, and the development of a business support strategy for Drummond Street.

A priority is to secure fair compensation for those adversely affected by HS2 in Camden.

On December 16 2016, the House of Lords made a strong recommendation that the following compensation schemes should be extended to the 1,300 households in Euston which qualify for noise insulation:

(i) Owner-occupiers should be entitled to participate in the Voluntary Purchase Scheme. This is the right to require the government to acquire the property at the unblighted price.

(ii) Owner-occupiers should also benefit from the Cash Option. This is 10 per cent of the unblighted value with a minimum of £30k and a maximum of £100k.

(iii) Residential tenants who do not qualify as owner-occupiers should be entitled to a “lump sum of £10k”. This is a new payment which would extend to social tenants.

While the government has made a commitment to introduce a construction compensation scheme, we still await the details. On January 31 I wrote to Nusrat Ghani, MP, the current rail minister, urging her to give effect to these recommendations at the earliest opportunity.

Later this month the government is to announce who has been selected as the Master Development Partner responsible for the Over Station Development (OSD).

We must ensure that the OSD respects the principles in Camden’s Euston Area Plan to prioritise the needs of local people with regard to affordable housing, jobs, community facilities and the replacement of the open spaces which have been taken by HS2.

The Main Works Contractor, SCSJV, is currently investigating how HS2 will be brought into the Euston throat. By the end of this month, this “optioneering phase” will end.

In April HS2 is to announce whether CSCJV have been able to devise a scheme which will avoid the demolition of the three bridges in Mornington Street, Granby Terrace and Hampstead Road.

A number of important decisions will be made over the weeks ahead. When the landscape is clearer I will be holding a public meeting. I look forward to announcing details shortly.

KEIR STARMER QC MP
Labour, Holborn and St Pancras