Ventilation shaft for HS2 could be sited in Canterbury Road close to a primary school

Brent & Kilburn Times: Cllr Mary ArnoldCllr Mary Arnold (Image: Archant)

Concerns have been raised over the government’s £33billion high speed rail project after it was revealed that part of the development could impact on Kilburn.

High Speed2’s 225mph trains will link London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds.

Protest groups in Kilburn, Kensal Rise and Queen’s Park claim tunnelling from its Euston terminus could cause disruption to properties and pollution. Now it has been revealed that a ventilation shaft, originally planned outside Queen’s Park Station, could be sited in Canterbury Road, Kilburn, close to Mary’s Roman Catholic Primary School.

Cllr Mary Arnold, lead member for children and families and a Kilburn ward councillor, said: “Construction works around the school would be unacceptably disruptive, causing noise, dust and traffic congestion.

“This is an area with a high density of housing and any construction work in the area could have a major impact on residents.

“People need to know that their views are being taken into account so any disruption and inconvenience can be kept to a minimum.”

Resident Caroline Lynch, said: “It is unfair to think about moving it without consulting residents first. There is a large industrial area at Queen’s Park and there are many factors to consider before moving it to a residential area like Canterbury Road, such as the impact on houses and the potential effect on the school.”

A Brent Council spokesman said it had encouraged HS2 to relocate the vent shaft from Queen’s Park station so as not to impact on the regeneration of the South Kilburn Estate.

He added: “If a decision is made that the Canterbury Works site could be a suitable location for the ventilation shaft, the council will have to be satisfied that no adverse impacts would arise.”

HS2 Ltd area stakeholder manager Peter Fry confirmed they were looking at the site.

He added: “Our experts have to carry out health and safety, aerodynamic, thermodynamic plus access assessments before a final judgement can be made.”