Birmingham MP Liam Byrne has threatened to stage a sit-in on industrial land earmarked for a new business park which could create hundreds of jobs, if high speed rail line bosses block the development.

He condemned HS2 Ltd, the government-owned business which is building a new rail line from London to Birmingham, for failing to listen to the concerns of Birmingham City Council and MPs.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Byrne (Lab Hodge Hill) accused HS2 Ltd of putting jobs at risk in Washwood Heath and threatened to “occupy the site” to prevent HS2 Ltd building a planned rail marshalling yard there.

It was the latest development in a long-running row over HS2’s plans for a marshalling yard on land which Birmingham City Council had earmarked for a new industrial park.

The council says its plans would create 7,000 jobs while the HS2 facility, used to store and maintain high speed trains, would create only 600 jobs, many of them low-skilled.

A compromise appeared to be reached in December last year when a committee of MPsdecided that HS2 Ltd could go ahead with the train yard, but should ensure there is room for a smaller business park alongside it. This would create 2,334 jobs and, although it was less ambitious than the original proposal, it was accepted by Mr Byrne at the time.

But the MP has now told the House of Commons HS2 Ltd is simply refusing to accept the finding.

HS2 Ltd has published revised plans for the area, but Mr Byrne said: “Although there have been detailed technical committee meetings and the site owners have now presented a detailed redesign of the site that would minimise land take, we have seen nothing of those discussions reflected in the provisions.”

Former LDV factory in Washwood Heath.
Former LDV factory in Washwood Heath.

He appealed to Transport Ministers for help, telling them: “I hope the minister will take the opportunity to endorse once again the committee’s recommendations on the rolling stock maintenance yard.

“I hope he will urge HS2 to do the deal and come to an agreement with the site owner... I personally do not want to occupy the site in order to ensure that HS2 honours a recommendation from a Select Committee of this House.

“I hope the minister will spare us all that spectacle and use his very good offices to ensure that HS2 will buckle down and listen to a Select Committee of this House and its recommendations.”

Transport Minister Robert Goodwill agreed to put pressure on HS2 Ltd, saying: “We are working with the owners and Birmingham City Council on land take to see how far land can be returned for development as early as possible to secure that development that could result in jobs being created.”

He told Mr Byrne: “If necessary, I will have a meeting with him, with officials, so that we can get some assurances that, I hope, will satisfy him.”

HS2 Ltd lead spokesperson, Ben Ruse said: “We do not plan to move HS2’s rolling stock maintenance depot from Washwood Heath.

“Following a recommendation from the Select Committee last December, HS2 Ltd is continuing to work closely with Birmingham City Council , landowners and the local MP as part of our design review process for the Washwood Heath site, with a view to maximising the residual land available for business use.”