Chris Packham's bid for legal action over HS2 reaches court of appeal

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The TV presenter went to the High Court in April seeking an emergency injunction to stop works he claimed would cause destruction or "irreversible and irreparable loss" to ancient woodland sites.

He applied for the order as part of an attempt to bring a legal challenge over the Government's decision to give the green light to HS2.

But two senior judges refused Packham permission to bring a claim against the Government's decision and did not grant the injunction.

TV presenter Chris Packham has taken his fight against the controversial HS2 rail scheme to the Court of Appeal (Photo: Ian West/PA Wire)

Announcing the court's decision, Lord Justice Coulson said: "This application has no realistic prospect of success, so we do not grant permission to bring judicial review proceedings."

He also said that, even if the court had thought the application had a realistic chance of success, they "would not have favoured granting the injunction".

Packham was given permission to appeal against the High Court ruling and his case will be heard by three leading judges at the Court of Appeal on Wednesday.

The well-known environmental campaigner is not repeating his application for an injunction.

Packham claimed the works would cause destruction or "irreversible and irreparable loss" to ancient woodland sites

Lawyers for Mr Packham are expected to argue that there were failings in the way the Government reached its decision to give the HS2 project the go-ahead.

The Government is opposing the challenge.

In a statement ahead of Wednesday's hearing, Mr Packham said: "I am delighted that the Lord Justices see merit in hearing the appeal and that they have acknowledged the 'considerable public interest' in the case - a public interest which spans the heinous and irreparable damage done to ancient woodland, breeding birds, badgers and bats this Spring, the complete incompatibility of this project to the government's obligations to address climate change, the appalling conduct of HS2 Ltd and its employees in a time of global crisis, and the future drain that the project will be on that public's purse, which due to the pandemic is empty."

Lord Justice Lindblom, Lord Justice Haddon-Cave and Lord Justice Green will consider the appeal from 10.30am.

HS2 is a new high-speed rail network that, when completed, should connect London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds, along with other points in the country.