A new high speed rail station in Birmingham city centre will have a platform for trains to the Continent, it has been revealed.

The Curzon Street station will have six platforms for inter-city domestic services and a seventh designed specifically for high speed services to Amsterdam, Paris or Brussels.

The proposal was published in the latest consultation on the environmental impact of HS2, the £34 billion linking Birmingham with London, Leeds and Manchester.

It follows revelations in the Birmingham Post that a National Audit Office report had found ‘no evidence’ HS2 would lead to economic growth, concluding that the business case for the route made ‘no sense.’

The scheme also has a £3.3 billion funding shortfall and the NAO questioned whether the new line can be delivered on time and without cost over-runs.

The damning report has thrown the scheme into doubt, but the Government has refused to accept the findings and has pledged to proceed.

Birmingham’s MPs have hit out after the environmental consultation document also confirmed that HS2 Ltd, the Government-owned company overseeing the project, is pressing ahead with plans to build a maintenance depot on industrial land in the city.

The decision to build a marshalling yard on the former LDV-Alstom site in Washwood Heath spells doom for Birmingham City Council’s plan to build a new hi-tech industrial park which could create 7,000 jobs.

Birmingham Council Leader Sir Albert Bore had urged HS2 Ltd to think again alongside the leaders of the Conservative and Liberal Democrat groups on the city council, Mike Whitby and Paul Tilsley.

City MP Liam Byrne (Lab Hodge Hill) warned that the decision would be fought in the courts and in Parliament.

He said: “This is a tragic day for East Birmingham. One single decision by bungling officials and ministers has destroyed the chance to give 7,000 people in Britain’s worst unemployment hotspot the chance to work. It’s the economic crime of the century.”

And MP Andrew Mitchell (Con Sutton Coldfield) has written to Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin urging him to intervene.

Mr Mitchell said in the letter: “As it stands all interested parties are yet to be convinced that the Washwood Heath site is the only viable option.

"I trust that you too will need to be convinced before this significant private sector-led employment generation opportunity is lost.”

However, the prospect of moving the depot has already caused concern among MPs in Warwickshire, where the facility could be placed.

Meriden MP Caroline Spelman (Con) has also warned that she would oppose efforts to move it in to her constituency.

According to the HS2 Ltd documents, the maintenance site will include a train carriage washing machine; facilities to store trains overnight, and a 12 track shed where trains would be maintained.

There would also be offices and a training school for staff.

Although the rail depot would create around 400 jobs, these would be low-skilled and relatively low-paid. It would mean a third of Birmingham’s available industrial land will be given over to the rail depot.

According to maps published by HS2 Ltd, the depot will cover 150 hectares south of existing rail line bordered by Bromford Drive to the east, Drews Lane and Warren Road to the south and Aston Church Road to the west.

The planned city centre station, known as Curzon Street, would have an entrance at Moor Street Queensway, connected to Moor Street rail station, and a separate entrance near the historic Curzon Street station building, a Grade 1 listed building which is currently unused.

The second station near Birmingham Airport called Birmingham Interchange, would have northbound and southbound platforms.

An automated people mover would connect it to the NEC, Birmingham International railway station and Birmingham Airport.

Three surface level car parks would be provided to the north, east and west of Birmingham Interchange station. Most traffic would come in from a dedicated link road off the A452 Chester Road.

Mrs Spelman welcomed the consultation after it included some changes to the proposed route designed to cut noise and disruption for residents, following lobbying from the MP.

A tunnel will reduce noise near the line in Castle Bromwich, while the track will be moved further eastwards away from Chelmsley Wood estate, cutting noise for residents there.

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