HS2 to open Aylesbury Vale maintenance hub creating 300 jobs

Bucks Council has approved planning permission for a maintenance depot in Aylesbury Vale as part of the HS2 project.

A maintenance hub will open halfway between the villages of Calvert and Steeple Claydon, with HS2 Ltd estimating it will create 300 new jobs.

Named the Infrastructure Maintenance Depot (IMD) it will house the people and equipment that will be working on the rail line when it is operational.

IMD will include workshops, offices, storage and training facilities as well as a base for the British Transport Police.

A HS2 spokesperson said: “The main buildings will be clad with naturally aging red brick – as a nod to the Calvert brickworks which operated throughout most of the twentieth century before closing in 1991. Gently curved roofs, timber and low-reflection metal finishes will also help to reduce the visual impact of the buildings.

“During the design process, the size of the depot area has been cut by 33% with the track layout reduced and simplified in order to speed up construction and cut disruption for the community. This smaller footprint also means that there will be 600,000 cubic metres less excavation required.”

As part of the proposals HS2 plans to plant around 15,000 trees and 20,000 shrubs amid new woodland paths, ponds and other wildlife habitats.

Iain Smith, HS2 Ltd’s systems delivery director said: “The maintenance depot at Calvert will be at the heart of the HS2 project – keeping the new railway running smoothly every day and supporting around 300 jobs. It’s great to get the green light for the design, and we look forward to making the vision a reality.”

Once operational the depot will be running 24 hours a day and seven days a week, with maintenance trains being held at the site. They will have access to the tracks at night - while the HS2 trains are not running - to maintain the track and systems. Projections released in 2022 by HS2 suggested work would begin on the maintenance depot in 2025, the rail line passing through Buckinghamshire is likely to open in 2029 at the earliest.