Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he made on the potential merits of future restrictions on salt mining in mid Cheshire in the context of the configuration of High Speed Rail 2.

On 3 March 2023, HS2 Ltd published a report ‘Crewe to Manchester: Understanding the Ground Risk across the Cheshire Plain’ which can be found on the gov.uk website. This document provides a review of ground conditions, associated risks, and mitigation measures in place across the Cheshire Plain. In addition, HS2 Ltd continue to engage with the operators of the Salt Industry infrastructure in Cheshire to ensure their safe continued operations during the construction and operation of the proposed scheme.

The areas related to the HS2 route over the Cheshire Salts are covered by Safeguarding Directions which are an established planning tool used to protect land required by major infrastructure projects. They require Local Planning Authorities to consult with HS2 Ltd on any undetermined planning applications. Safeguarding is periodically reviewed and updated during the project to reflect up to date land requirements.