Independent economic review demanded to break HS2 impasse

SHEFFIELD businesses should get behind the choice of location for the city’s HS2 station, Sheffield Chamber has said, but it will take an independent review to build consensus.

A HS2 summit held in Sheffield yesterday considered the merits of the competing options of the Victoria site in the city centre or the out-of-town site at Meadowhall.

Sheffield Chamber executive director Richard Wright told the audience of more than 200 guests at Sheffield City Hall: “HS2 will, without doubt, have enormous implications for the future economy of the region.

“We’ve got to get behind the right decision, because, while we’re bickering, the final decision will be made later this year. We can’t afford to end up with the wrong location.”

Mr Wright said Chamber President Jillian Thomas would be writing to George Osborne and Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin to call for an independent economic review into the decision on station location.

 

He said: “This shouldn’t be about one set of stakeholders arguing with others – business has got to rise above that.

 

“As a Chamber we believe in the maximum economic return. Let’s put the confusion behind us and agree we will get behind the findings of that review.”

Two Sheffield businesses have come out strongly in favour of the Victoria option.

Paul Houghton, practice leader for Grant Thornton in Sheffield, said: “On the basis of the evidence currently available, a Sheffield city centre station appears to be the option which would drive a significantly better economic outcome for the region as a whole. 

“A growing weight of the city region’s business community is keen to press Government to review the options and back the solution which will deliver the best regeneration potential and transport connectivity for the region.”

Adrian Lunn, head of the Sheffield office at national commercial property consultancy Lambert Smith Hampton added: “Today’s event was a hugely valuable insight into the economic case for bringing HS2 to Sheffield city centre. While this is a more costly option in the short term, the added value to the region in the long-term will be far greater.”