The street split in two by HS2: Family bought a house just SEVEN DAYS before finding out high speed route will bulldoze their dream home

  • Government published the planned route of the new line to the North yesterday
  • Railway will cut through newly-built estate of homes in Mexborough, Yorkshire 
  • One family was told of the plans just a week after they moved into their home 
  • Another man was a week from selling his home when the plans were announced 

This is the street on a Yorkshire housing estate which will be split in two by the High Speed 2 train line.

Homes to the left of the red line superimposed over Comely Bank Drive on the Shimmer estate in Mexborough will be demolished to make way for the new railway line between London and Leeds.

Homes to the right of the line are understood to be remaining, although their owners say they have been left in limbo over their futures.

A family who live in one of the properties earmarked for demolition told today how they were told of the plans just a week after they moved in.

Homes on the left of this line through the Shimmer estate in Mexborough are to be demolished to make way for the High Speed. Homes on the right may stay in place

Homes on the left of this line through the Shimmer estate in Mexborough are to be demolished to make way for the High Speed. Homes on the right may stay in place

Ben Stone's family were informed of the HS2 plans a week after they moved in to their home

Ben Stone's family were informed of the HS2 plans a week after they moved in to their home

The Shimmer Estate borders where the HS2 Route will run through Mexborough

The Shimmer Estate borders where the HS2 Route will run through Mexborough

Ben Stone, moved into the house with mother Tracey, 50, and twin sister Charlotte, 23, on July 1 last year and were informed of the impact of the planned HS2 route a week later. Yesterday, the route was confirmed, condemning their new home.

He said: 'A week after we arrived we received the letter through the door. At first we thought that it might have been a joke or a wind-up.

'We didn't even think we should unpack at that point. No-one knew what was going on, there was no communication, we just kept receiving the letters.'

The warehouse worker added: 'We will definitely have to leave the estate in the next two years. We are already looking at different properties to move out to.

'I really like this estate and it is perfect for my family and our dog with the river running behind our house and I can't believe we will have to move.

'My mum has been upset about the situation and ever since we have moved in we have just had to see this as a temporary house rather than our home.'

Meanwhile, neighbours Sue and Peter Douglas unsure whether their home is one of those earmarked for demolition.  

Mr Douglas, 63, who bought his four bed property for £160,000 in 2012, said at first the property was a dream place to retire.

Sue and Peter Douglas believe the home they planned to retire to will be flattened to make way for the High Speed 2 route to Leeds

Sue and Peter Douglas believe the home they planned to retire to will be flattened to make way for the High Speed 2 route to Leeds

They live on a new-build estate in Mexborough which is on the route announced yesterday

They live on a new-build estate in Mexborough which is on the route announced yesterday

However, when the HS2 announcement was decided yesterday, he admitted that the estate's fate was finally sealed.

He said: 'If next door is getting knocked down I presume all of the houses on the estate will have to knocked down at some point.

'If you look at the plans for the line, they are going to have to build huge viaducts 20ft up in the air - that will mean ours will have to go too.

'We are just so angry at the way we have been treated - we feel betrayed. This was supposed to be our retirement home, but now it's just a nightmare.'

Some residents on the Shimmer estate, which was first established in 2012, only found out about the HS2 plans - originally put forward last year - just weeks after moving into the development of two and three-storey town houses.

Wayne Butcher lives in one the homes due to be demolished. He is angry at the prospect of having to move his children Holly, five, and Harry, six, to other schools

Wayne Butcher lives in one the homes due to be demolished. He is angry at the prospect of having to move his children Holly, five, and Harry, six, to other schools

Nigel and Amanda Hogue say the price being offered by the government for homes is too low

Nigel and Amanda Hogue say the price being offered by the government for homes is too low

Wayne Butcher, 48, lives in one of the sixteen homes set to be knocked down.

The father of two, who says his children are both settled in local schools, said it the announcement is 'devastating'.

'It's just heart breaking really and it makes me very angry to be honest. HS2 are the only people we can sell our home to - but they won't speak to us.

'We wouldn't get a house like this anywhere else - it's perfect for our young family, it's big and has four bedrooms - we wouldn't get anything like this somewhere else.'

Mr Butcher bought his four-bed property three years ago for £160,000.

He said: 'I think it's disgusting, and I could get very, very angry about it. This is people's lives they are messing with.'

An artist's impression of what the new route north of London will look like

An artist's impression of what the new route north of London will look like

Transport secretary Chris Grayling was pressured into issuing a statement on HS2 in the Commons after furious MPs criticised his failure to turn up earlier in the day. 

He said a report by property specialists Carter Jonas has concluded that the existing compensation scheme – which offers homeowners the 'unblighted' value of their home plus ten per cent - would not be enough to allow the residents of the Shimmer estate to buy a similar house locally.

He said the the government will work with local residents and politicians to ensure Shimmer homeowners can secure a comparable local home. 

Mr Grayling added: 'I know that for those living along the route, today's announcement will not be welcome news'.

But he said 'sadly this is inevitable' with an infrastructure project of this size'.

 

Homeowner told HS2 would run just feet from the end of garden a week before he was due to sell

A homeowner has told how the HS2 route sunk a deal to sell his home after it was announced it would pass feet from the end of his garden.

Dave Slack lives in Bramley, near Rotherham, where the new High Speed route from London to Leeds will pass by.

The proximity of the planned railway line was announced last year and confirmed yesterday.

Dave Slack was a week from selling his home when the HS2 route was announced last year

Dave Slack was a week from selling his home when the HS2 route was announced last year

Homeowners are desperately trying to sell properties near the route of the new railway line

Homeowners are desperately trying to sell properties near the route of the new railway line

The 48-year-old said: 'I saw it on the news last year before anywhere else and I honestly couldn't believe it.'We were just a week away from exchanging our house and I had another property lined up to move in to.

'When the news came through, I was told by the buyers that they couldn't complete as they couldn't get a mortgage on it. This was on the Friday, I was due to move out the following Monday.

'I just couldn't believe it at all. It left us stunned.'

Mr Slack said there is little chance that he will be able to sell the house now the plans have been agreed.

He said: 'We have had three or four people round since and the house is still on the market but I have to break it to them every time about what will be built just feet from their potential garden.

'We have been stuck since they were announced and there is no hope of selling the house.'

Kieran Edwards says he will miss out on compensation because his house is one metre too far away from the route of the line in Bramley, near Rotherham

Kieran Edwards says he will miss out on compensation because his house is one metre too far away from the route of the line in Bramley, near Rotherham

The potential HS2 train design is pictured. In February, Parliament granted powers to build Phase 1 of the line

The potential HS2 train design is pictured. In February, Parliament granted powers to build Phase 1 of the line

His neighbour Kieran Edwards, 33, said that due to his house being just one metre from the safeguarding zone, he is set to lose out on thousands of pounds of compensation.

Mr Edwards, a gardener, said: 'It has been about a year since we heard the news. Now the plans have been announced everyone is worrying again.

'Due to my house being 61 metres away from the HS2 line, I will miss out on a huge amount of legal costs for the sake of the width of my wall.

'It has really angered me, not only is it going to have a huge impact for everyone on this estate, I am also losing out financially because of it.

'I have worked it out and believe the difference between my side of the street and the other could be over £20k.' 

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Family told HS2 would demolish home a week after moving in