Mum's Fury as Quiet Village Life Is Split in Two by HS2 Tunnel

What has been done to them is devastating; people in this area have seen their lives destroyed.

These areKaren Blake’swords,a motherwho relocatedtothevillageofBurtonGreeninsearchofaquietlifestyle,onlytobediscoveredthatitwouldturnintoyears-longconstructionsite.

The Warwickshire The village has been entirely divided into two parts due to construction. work to construct a tunnel for HS2 .

The tunnel, nearing 70% completion, is intended to be a 'green tunnel,' designed to harmonize with the surrounding natural scenery upon finishing.

However, in the interim, villagers say they feel like they're trapped in a nightmare.

Karen, who works as a creative director and is a mother to one child, has been residing in Burton Green for six years since moving from Coventry.

She stated: 'We relocated from the city seeking a more peaceful lifestyle, but it has turned out to be quite the opposite.'

'We were informed it would be just across two fields from the village, but instead, they constructed it directly behind us.'

‘Some days the noise from the vibrations can really make you feel quite sick, all the dust covering our homes can’t be good for our health either.

'Previously, we had vast expanses of open fields filled with natural beauty, home to deer and bats. But now, they have destroyed thousands of trees in an old forest to build this eyesore.'

'What has been done to them is devastating; people in this area have seen their lives destroyed.'

'I have shed tears at certain moments. I work from home, and it becomes impossible to focus; it feels like you might as well reside near the M25.'

'You can only utilize your gardens on Sundays – since those are the only days they get time off.'

'I simply cannot understand how they rationalize its presence or its price. It’s unclear to me who stands to gain from this.'

Once the plans for the tunnel were unveiled, the village was described as likely to be most adversely impacted by the contentious high-speed railway project.

And after five years, many of the villagers who live in this community, dating back to the 1500s with about 600 inhabitants, believe that their vision has become reality.

Eileen Thompson, a 77-year-old grandmother who used to work as a secretary, has been living in Burton Green for the past six years.

She stated, "From the beginning, it has been completely terrible. The dust, filth, and noise—along with all the diversions and road closings—have essentially divided our village in half."

'There has been extensive damage to the vegetation, displacing numerous wild animals. Many residents have relocated from the region.'

Occasionally, when I'm seated in my home, I sense the entire structure shaking.

'We experienced three weeks of them removing incorrectly placed concrete pillars, which created an unbearable amount of noise and dust.'

'Previously, there was a beautiful pathway next to an old Victorian railway line, with fields and wildlife on either side, unlike the chaotic state we see today.'

'It's devastating to witness the damage surrounding us.'

'They have acquired vacant buildings and demolished them as residents have departed. Currently, HS2 likely owns more properties than any other entity.'

'It’s simply appalling how poorly this was both planned and carried out, and honestly, I’m not sure who it’s actually supposed to help.'

'We're essentially going to have a shuttle service between Birmingham and London that won't fully reach either city.'

'It represents an enormous wastage of billions of pounds from our coffers, and I believe it will ultimately be recognized as one of the largest scandals in British history.'

Although several villagers have already relocated, many fear that the worth of their homes might drop by as much as twenty percent.

The current average house price in Burton Green is approximately £500,000; however, concerns suggest that values might drop by as much as £100,000.

The father of two, 55-year-old Phil Fairclough, stated: "After the plans were unveiled, everyone was talking about how we might be hit hardest by HS2."

'If you take a look around now, I don't believe you could claim otherwise – we've had our small town split in two by a railway line that nobody wanted.'

'I've seen friends relocate because of this, it has split and disrupted our neighborhood. The construction site looks unsightly. We believe property values could decrease by at least £100,000.'

The initial plan for HS2 was to connect London with major northern cities such as Manchester and Leeds as part of an extensive 330-mile high-speed railway system.

But after costs spiralled , after which Prime Minister Rishi Sunak opted to Proceed only along the route connecting the capital city to Birmingham. .

The latest estimate proposes that HS2 will have a price tag of £66 billion for the high speed line between London and Birmingham .

A representative from HS2 Ltd stated: "We are making significant efforts to minimize disruptions throughout the development of the Burton Green Tunnel and have supplied a new village hall for the local residents."

The excavated soil is being repurposed for nearby landscaping purposes to prevent additional trucks from using local roads and assist in integrating the structure seamlessly with the adjacent rural area.

'Upon completion, the tunnel will protect nearby houses from noise and disruption, accompanied by a new public greenspace for residents to appreciate.'

'The current Kenilworth greenway for cycling and walking will be restored alongside new landscaping and tree-planting initiatives aimed at enhancing biodiversity and establishing additional wildlife habitats.'

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