HS2 'superstructure' in Birmingham approved

A massive "superstructure" that will be constructed in Birmingham as part of the HS2 development has been approved.

Council planning committee members backed the designs for Digbeth, as all eight voted in favour of the plans.

However, concerns were voiced about graffiti.

A planning officer said HS2 was "quite firm" in saying "they have zero tolerance of graffiti and they have a maintenance regime that they will adhere to of their structures".

She added: "In addition, it is a unique consenting regime as to how we look at HS2 matters so the underside of the viaduct is something that will come through in the future and it could well be that as we design what's going to go under there, that also has an impact on how that is dealt with."

Councillor for Erdington Gareth Moore said he did not have an issue with the application, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

But he added: "I don't think the CGI is particularly reflective because there is no graffiti on any of this and it's quite clear that we are going to be building a massive canvas for graffiti artists to decorate."

Councillor for Kingstanding, Rick Payne, added: "We've got a lot of rail lines coming in already into that area, so it's not really going to be detrimental."

The Canal & River Trust requested design modifications to prevent birds nesting on the piers.

As a result, additional welded weathering steel plates to prevent birds perching have been designed and approved.

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