Appeal submitted over HS2 wood felling in Staffordshire after legal bid fails
An appeal to stop ancient woodland in Staffordshire being removed for HS2 has been submitted after a legal bid to stop work was thrown out.
The High Court rejected a judicial review from Chris Packham CBE over the environmental impact of the high-speed rail project.
But judges, at a hearing earlier this month, said there was "no real prospect of a success" – handing HS2 the green light to fell trees and remove soil at five Midlands woodlands.
Sites include Fulfen Wood, an ancient woodland between Huddleford and Lichfield, prompting campaigners to hit out at the move.
Now Mr Packman, who is represented by law firm Leigh Day, has submitted an application for appeal to the Court of Appeal, arguing the court misunderstood the grounds of his case.
He said: "Despite the devastating dismissal of our case by the High Court I am determined not to give up. In these times of climate and environmental emergency, resilience is key.
"Now is not the time to give up, now is the time to muster and protect what we have left. It is heart-breaking that we were not able to stop the clearance works that have already begun on this project.
"The works are completely irreversible.
"Yet still we fight on, as we must try to protect all the other precious flora and fauna which is at risk from the HS2 project.
"I deeply believe that I still have a strong case against this ludicrously environmentally damaging project and I will argue in my appeal that the High Court judgment missed key points which still need to be answered."
Mr Packham will argue the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Transport were told the Oakervee Report set out the environmental impacts – when he argues it did not.
And he will argue the Paris Agreement was not taken into account when making the decision.
Carol Day, solicitor at law firm Leigh Day, added: "Mr Packham is seeking to argue that the High Court failed to properly address parts of his claim in relation to the loss of irreplaceable ancient woodlands and climate change.
"He believes that if the Government is determined to proceed with this costly and damaging project, it must be on the basis of a full and proper understanding of the environmental impacts.
"Now more than ever it should be recognised that meeting our international environmental obligations has a vital part to play in protecting nature and human health."
