Buckinghamshire Council has expressed major concerns over the proposed design of the vent shaft which HS2 Limited will be building on Whielden Lane in Old Amersham.
The vent shaft will be one of five structures built to provide ventilation and emergency access to the high-speed rail line’s 10-mile-long Chiltern tunnel.
The council has held many meetings with HS2 and its contractor, Align, over the past four years, and while a number of iterations of the vent shaft have been presented, the council believes significantly more work is needed to ensure the appearance is appropriate to the style of Old Amersham.
Councillor Martin Tett, leader of Bucks Council, said: “Before we are in a position to agree a suitable design, which fits in with the historical character of Old Amersham and the nearby AONB (Area of Natural Beauty), there need to be major changes.
“The site is in Amersham Old Town, one of the most attractive and historic towns in the county. The idea that a rusty metal fence surrounding the vent shaft would be appropriate adjacent to the historic townscape is totally unacceptable.
“We feel the design requires a completely new direction, including the use of more traditional materials for the external appearance.
“Regrettably, due to the HS2 Act 2017, our overall influence and control is limited on much of the HS2 scheme, but we are doing everything we can to ensure that the Amersham vent shaft, when built, is in keeping with Old Amersham’s distinct style and the AONB.
“I want to assure residents that I will ensure that we will fully use the limited powers we have.”
Councillors representing Amersham and professional planners from Bucks Council are meeting with HS2, Align and their designers on June 21, where the latest design will be presented before a planning application is made.
The photo shown above is a computer generated image of the vent shaft entrance released by HS2 in August 2020.
Photo credit: ©Grimshaw / AlignJV
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