On Thursday, The Country Land and Business Association, which represents the interests of landowners in the UK, welcomed the extension of the HS2 Environmental Statement response deadline, which the Association said would allow more time for its consideration. However, CLA warned that the document still ignores the impact the high speed rail way will have on landowners losing their land as part of the plans.

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HS2 will initially link London and Birmingham, with further branches to Manchester and Leeds set to be added later. CLA said the extra time will give landowners the opportunity to consider the 50,000-page document which looks at environmental issues and details environmental mitigation measures.

The Bill went before Parliament in November. Consultation on the Environmental Statement for London-Brimingham phase of the project will now run until 27th February.

The government hopes to get the HS2 Bill passed before the next general election in 2015, which would give them power to begin buying up land and houses along the proposed route regardless of whether owners want to sell. The total cost of the project, including the Leeds and Manchester branches, is expected to be £42.6bn.

Last week, CLA warned that the consultation document does not give sufficient detail on how individual habitat mitigation will be delivered under the government's plans or state why the use of compulsory purchase is necessary.

CLA President Henry Robinson commented, "The Environmental Statement should not only show the exact location and extent of each habitat being taken, but also justify the area that is required to mitigate that particular impact. Every acre taken as environmental mitigation is an acre taken out of economic productivity forever.

"It must be clear to landowners exactly what habitat is being lost, its value, and where the replacement habitat is being provided and why. If this is information cannot be interrogated on a holding by holding basis landowners will be disadvantaged in making their representations."  

The extension is the second time in a week that the public have been given more time to respond to the consultation on the environmental impact of HS2.

CLA Chief Surveyor Andrew Shirley said, "We have several members who were initially losing a little land, but now the amount has ballooned from the initial drawing through to the draft and the final statement – all in the name of environmental mitigation. The HS2 Bill gives extra powers for HS2 Ltd to grab more land for development and regeneration, as well as sweeping access provisions over Phase two which is not even part of this Bill."