Ashby MP Andrew Bridgen is set to request a full debate in the House of Commons over the future of HS2 - which he says has pushed up the cost of housebuilding and is damaging "more worthwhile" infrastructure projects.

The conservative MP for North West Leicestershire told Newcivilengineer.com that there is growing backbench anger at the escalating costs and allegations of mismanagement of the new high-speed line, which is scheduled to pass in between Ashby, Coalville and Measham.

Mr Bridgen said: "I think there is more than sufficient support in Parliament and strength of feeling against HS2 and the way it has been completely mismanaged.

"We need a full parliamentary debate.

"The interest in the issue was demonstrated when we had a 90-minute debate where people were limited to speaking for three minutes.

"That is a fig-leaf for democracy. I think there's enough colleagues who will sign a demand for a backbench business debate. It won't be a binding vote but at least we can get things on the record.

"I am going to speak to the Speaker of the House of Commons and see if we can secure a full debate and I have to lay the papers before parliament."

The debate last Monday (September 13) was attended by over 40 MPs who spoke both for and against the project.

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The government lost a by-election in July to the Liberal Democrats for the Chesham and Amersham which was formerly held by Dame Cheryl Gillan until the MP died in April this year.

It is believed that local anger against HS2 was one of the reasons why the Conservatives lost what was considered a safe constituency.

It is understood that MPs, including Andrea Leadsom, Ester McVey, Michael Fabricant and William Cash would back a full debate on the project's future.

Matt Western, Labour MP for Warwick and Leamington said that "given the number of Members attending and the scale of the project, this sort of debate is worthy of the main Chamber and having more time?"

Mr Bridgen added: "Because HS2 is such a black hole of funding and there are finite resources, funding, and materials, it is actually putting up the infrastructure costs of other projects, and also putting up the cost of house building.

"The collateral effect of HS2 is that construction costs have risen across the country and they have. It is actually damaging more worthwhile projects and making housing more unaffordable."

"I think there is more than sufficient support in Parliament and strength of feeling against HS2 and the way it has been completely mismanaged."