A local timber merchant has said HS2 "could not give a damn" about its future - but has seen a planning application for its South Warwickshire site refused.

Metcalfe Timber and Builders Merchants (MTBM) had applied for planning permission for a new entrance to its site between Cubbington and Weston-under-Wetherley.

The business said its existing access needs to be closed and the new one created, "as a consequence of HS2 works to realign Rugby Road".

Plans submitted to Warwick District Council (WDC) said the new access to its site proposed by HS2 is "wholly substandard" and will have a "major adverse significance upon the operation of the business".

Instead MTBM proposed a new entrance to the east of the site through the neighbouring Cubbington Wood, which would require a number of trees to be felled.

"The applicant's company considers that HS2 has behaved with scant respect for the operational needs of the business, and has displayed no interest in making provision for a suitable replacement access so that this long established local business can remain," the application said.

It continued: "The applicant has made heroic attempts to agree an alternative access arrangement with HS2, such remonstrations have been received by HS2 like 'water off a ducks back'.

"The applicant considers that HS2 could not 'give a damn' about the future of MTBM, whether the access is safe for its operations or whether, as a consequence, MTBM has to close in the future.

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"It is as a consequence of this shabby treatment by HS2 that MTBM has concluded it has no option other than to seek planning permission for an alternative means of access which will suit its operational needs."

HS2 has refuted most of the claims submitted by MTBM, saying it has tried to engage with the business and find a solution.

It said multiple meetings had been held with local MP Sir Jeremy Wright but claimed MTBM has not completed a "reconfiguration exercise" despite agreeing to do so.

HS2 also said the application to WDC for the new entrance at the Rugby Road site had used old sketches and drawings.

"HS2 Ltd have asked the applicant to carry out an exercise to show how the site would need to be reconfigured due to the construction of the proposed access," the high speed rail developer said in a statement.

"This has been requested numerous times, but to date nothing has been provided to HS2 Ltd to assess."

It continued: "HS2 Ltd representatives have met with the landowner/applicant and their representatives on numerous occasions.

"As requested by the landowner (and Sir Jeremy Wright MP) alternative accesses have been considered by HS2 and unfortunately none of the options that the landowner had asked us to explore were deemed feasible."

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Objections to the new entrance were submitted by Cubbington Parish Council, Warwickshire County Council highways and ecology, and from Cllr Josh Payne.

A number of issues including road safety and the loss of woodland were raised.

Council planners sided with the objections and refused to grant planning permission for the new entrance.

A WDC report said: "The development would lead to the loss of ancient woodland which is an irreplaceable habitat and it has not been demonstrated there are wholly exceptional reasons to justify the loss of this irreplaceable habitat.

"As such, the development is not supported in principle.

"Furthermore, the applicant has failed to not demonstrate that the access would not be detrimental to highway safety.

"The application is therefore recommended for refusal."

See the full application here.

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