Why the Braybrook Street access road is the wrong choice

This is an extract from a public letter to LBHF’s leader Steven Cowan from the MP for Kensington, Felicity Buchan. Other MPs, notably MP for Hammersmith Andy Slaughter have been helpful and supportive to the urgent campaign to minimise the proposed damage to the Scrubs by HS2 related works. I’m reproducing this particular letter here because it sums up the objections to the carving of an access road from Braybrook Street to the planned sewer works. Please write to your own local councillor to support these points and also to HS2’s community engagement team (see previous post for details).

In light of the Covid-19 pandemic it has become even more important for people in Kensington to

have access to green spaces which preserve nature as effectively as possible - visiting these spaces has

such a positive impact on their mental and physical health, whilst limiting spread of the virus due to

outdoor social distancing. Wormwood Scrubs is especially valuable in this regard because, unlike so

many other parks and open spaces in London, it hosts a large number of diverse animal and plant life,

including legally protected animals, plants and fungi - including one of the largest populations of the

common lizard in the UK.

I would therefore ask that you, through your role on the OPDC board, request that the OPDC to do all

within their power to limit any negative environmental impact from the diversion of a sewer into

Wormwood Scrubs, through conducting enhanced scrutiny of HS2 Limited. As you are no doubt

aware, the nature of HS2's impact in the area is that of a 2-4 year project, one which will have up to

40 heavy vehicles in use per day, heightening the need for significant scrutiny.

In that vein, I was encouraged to hear that the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham (LBHF)

made direct representations to HS2 Limited, requesting that access for construction works use the

alternative access route on Old Oak Common Lane instead of Braybrook Street. Using BraybrookStreet would have effectively cut the wildest part of the scrubs in half from north to south, causing a

negative ecological impact. In contrast, the use of Old Oak Common Lane will provide easy access to

the sewer to perform the diversion, whilst helping to limit ecological impact. This action should now

set the precedent for the level of scrutiny that should become commonplace in minimising the impact

of HS2 on Wormwood Scrubs by LBHF and the OPDC.

I would ask that LBHF continue to scrutinise the development, doing everything possible to ensure

the minimal environmental impact on the Scrubs. In particular, I would ask that fully up-to-date

environmental & biodiversity surveys are in place, and fully taken account of prior to the

commencement of any work. I also ask that there be put in place a plan for re-homing protected

species during the work, ensuring the careful reinstating of those species and their breeding habitats

upon completion. Work conducted on the scrubs, which has the capacity to impact protected species,

should be based on current ecological surveys.

Last year, LBHF declared a climate emergency. As part of implementing this declaration in practice, I

would ask you to do all you can to ensure that this important nature reserve is appropriately protected

through scrutinising the actions of HS2 Limited, where they may impact the Scrubs. Requesting HS2

Limited use Old Oak Common Lane is a significant step in the right direction in terms of

implementing this enhanced scrutiny, and I would like to see this continue.

Finally, I would also ask that you write to me with the latest update on LBHF's work, through their

scrutinising role on the OPDC, to further limit the environmental impact on the Scrubs.

Best Wishes

Felicity Buchan

23 November 2020