A series of public events will be held this month aimed at finding ways of reducing the impact of the HS2 rail link on wildlife near Hillingdon.
Work on the £56billion high-speed train link between London and Birmingham is expected to start this year but there are concerns about the “significant impacts” the project will have on wildlife on the Colne Valley Regional Park near Uxbridge.
The London Wildlife Trust is encouraging members of the public to take part to shape the way HS2 deals with the impacts on the environment.
HS2 has set aside £3million to protect the environment in the Colne Valley region, including relocation of nature reserves, creating new visitor attractions and alternative woodland routes.
The trust has said “the current proposed route is likely to have a significant and avoidable impact on the natural environment.”
Affected areas in the Colne Valley include the Broadwater Lake, Tilehouse Woods, Frays Farm Meadows and Hillingdon Outdoor Activity Centre (HOAC).
A viaduct will be running through the HOAC site and management of the activity centre fear the train link will force it to close.
Plans recently resurfaced to relocate HOAC at a reduced cost after initials plans for a move were abandoned.
The first consultation event will be held on Tuesday (February 7) between 4pm to 8pm at St Mark's Hall, Green Tiles Lane, Denham.
An event will also be held at Maple Cross JMI School in Denham Way, Maple Cross between 5pm and 8pm on Wednesday February 8.
On Thursday (February 9) there will be an event at Harefield Library in Park Lane from 3pm to 7pm.
Then there will be a final consultation meeting on Sunday February 12 at Harefield Community Centre, Priory Avenue in South Harefield between 10am and 2pm.
The Colne Valley Regional Park Panel was set up in 2015 to explore impacts HS2 will have on the area.
Members include HS2 Limited, Department for Transport, Hillingdon Council and the London Wildlife Trust.
The panel has put together a list of projects across the Colne Valley area aimed at reducing impacts on different sites.
This includes a new, relocated nature reserve within the Mid Colne Site of Special Scientific Interest in the Broadwater area and long-term alternative access to the east of Broadwater Lake.
In the Tilehouse Woods Area, as the railway passes nearby several woodland sites, the panel suggests promoting alternative routes through the woods, further away from HS2 noise. New footpaths and cycleways could improve public access.
Another suggestion is for the New Years Green Area with land taken by HS2 for depositing excavated material will be offset by new woodland and grassland habitats.
The panel also proposes creating sculpted landforms to form a new viewpoint and visitor attraction.
Getwestlondon has approached the Department for Transport for comment.
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