Ordsall Chord rail link to go ahead as legal challenge dismissed

Permission to appeal refused by London’s Planning Court as it dismisses challenge of Network Rail’s Orsdall Chord rail project  

Ordsall Chord

Former ICE President Mark Whitby’s legal battle over Network Rail’s Ordsall Chord scheme was stopped in its tracks this week after a London judge dismissed his challenge and refused permission to appeal.

Whitby had won a judicial review of the proposed rail link between Manchester’s Victoria and Piccadilly stations by arguing that the inspector’s decision to approve the project in 2014, made after a month long public inquiry, was based on incorrect assumptions.

“We welcome this decision as the Ordsall Chord forms a key part of our railway upgrade plan for the north of England. More than £1bn is being invested to provide passengers with better services and we plan to start work on the Ordsall Chord as soon as possible,” said a Network Rail spokesman.

"We are disappointed that the Ordsall Chord scheme will go ahead now the judicial review has upheld the planning inspector’s decision to approve the Network Rail proposals.” Historic England chief executive, Duncan Wilson.

Whitby’s campaign was backed by Historic England, English Heritage and the ICE Panel for Historical Works all of whom were concerned that the current proposed railway link between Manchester’s railway stations requires the demolition of a number of listed structures and would cause serious harm to the Liverpool Road station complex.

During the original public inquiry, Andrew Davison acting on behalf of English Heritage, described the Liverpool Road station complex as the “the Stonehenge of railway history”, and said the Network Rail proposal was one of the most damaging he had seen in his 27 year career in conservation. 

“I have never come across a proposed development so exceptionally damaging to the historic environment as the Ordsall Chord,’ he said in his rebuttal to Network Rail’s proposals presented to the inquiry. 

Whitby argued that an alternative route across a vacant brownfield site at Middlewood Locks was more viable.

"We are disappointed that the Ordsall Chord scheme will go ahead now the judicial review has upheld the planning inspector’s decision to approve the Network Rail proposals.” said Historic England chief executive, Duncan Wilson.

“As we have previously advised, the Ordsall Chord will cause substantial harm to one of the most significant railway sites in the world," he added. "At the core of the historic sites affected are the buildings of the former Liverpool Road station which date back to the beginning of passenger railways and inspired the design of railway stations everywhere. Whilst we recognise the Ordsall Chord will bring transport benefits, we advised against the proposed scheme as there was a potentially viable alternative route that would have avoided serious harm to Manchester's internationally important railway heritage.”

“We welcome this decision as the Ordsall Chord forms a key part of our railway upgrade plan for the north of England." Network Rail.

The Secretary of State for Transport confirmed last March the inquiry inspector’s view that, “in spite of the substantial harm to heritage assets that would result” the overall benefits of the scheme meant that it should go ahead.

“The balance lies in favour of approving the scheme as proposed by Network Rail, in spite of the substantial harm to heritage assets that would result,” said the DfT’s decison letter.

If you would like to contact Bernadette Ballantyne about this, or any other story, please email bernadette.ballantyne@infrastructure-intelligence.com:2016-1.

Comments

What a nightmare. Seems like a no-brainer to leave the heritage intact.