Latest news with #EileenThompson
Scottish Sun
27-04-2025
- General
- Scottish Sun
Our village is split in half by monstrous 700m HS2 tunnel that turns life into daily nightmare & makes homes unsellable
Gardens are being destroyed by the building work PIT OF MISERY Our village is split in half by monstrous 700m HS2 tunnel that turns life into daily nightmare & makes homes unsellable Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) VILLAGERS have told how HS2 is turning life into a "daily nightmare" - after their small community was carved in half by a 700m tunnel. Burton Green, in Warwickshire, now lies completely divided by a HS2 construction site as work continues to build the massive tunnel in their rural area. 4 Burton Green is completely divided by a HS2 construction site Credit: SWNS 4 The residents have said the road is making their life a 'daily nightmare' Credit: SWNS Shocking images show how the works have carved straight through the middle of the picturesque village. Fuming locals say their homes vibrate due to the loud machinery while dust and dirt wafts into gardens as the surrounding countryside is destroyed. Many residents have already moved out of the area and those who have remained have revealed how their lives have been blighted by the works. When plans were announced for the tunnel the village was billed as potentially being the worst affected by the controversial high-speed rail network. And five years on, many living in the village, which dates back to the 1500s and has around 600 residents, say that has come to fruition after it was turned into an "eyesore building site". Grandmother-of-one Eileen Thompson, 77, a retired secretary, has lived in Burton Green for six years. She said: "It has just been absolutely horrendous from the start. "The dust, the dirt, the noise - all the diversions and road closures, it has literally split our village in two. "There's been all the destruction of the greenery and lots of wildlife displaced. Some people have moved out of the area. "Sometimes if I'm sitting in my house I can feel the whole place vibrating. New £2billion 'super station' to open in the UK with 250,000 passengers a day and huge outdoor parkland "We had three weeks of them blasting concrete posts out they had erected wrong and the noise and dirt from that was appalling. "Before there was a lovely walkway alongside what used be a Victorian railway with fields and wildlife on both side - compared to this mess we have now. "It's heartbreaking the see the destruction around us. "They have bought empty properties and knocked them down as people have moved out. HS2 must own more properties than anyone else at the moment. "It is just disgraceful how it has been planned and executed and I can't even see who its really going to be benefit. "We're just going to end up with a shuttle train between Birmingham and London that doesn't quite go all the way into Birmingham or all the way into London. "It is a waste of billions of pounds of our money and I think it will eventually be known one of the biggest scandals in Britain." Mum-of-one Karen Blake, 55, a creative director, accused HS2 of "ruining lives" and described the situation as like "living on the M25." Karen, who has lived in Burton Green for six years after moving from Coventry, said: "We moved from the city for a quieter life and it's been anything but. "We were told it would be two fields over from the village but instead they have built it right at the back of 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. "Before we had fields for miles, loads of nature, we had deer and bats and now they have torn down thousands of trees in an ancient forest for this monstrosity. "What they have done is heartbreaking, people here have had their lives ruined. "I've been in tears at some points. I work from home and you just can't concentrate, you may as well be living on the M25. "You can only use your gardens on a Sunday - because that's the only day they have off. "I just don't know how they can justify its existence or it's cost. I can't see who it's even going to benefit". Other residents say they are concerned that house prices, which currently average around £500,000, could plummet by as much as £100,000. Dad-of-two Phil Fairclough, 55, added: "When the plans were announced there was all this talk saying we could be the worst-affected by HS2. "And if you look around here now I don't think you could argue that - we've had our little village bisected by a railway line nobody here wants. "I've had friends move out, it's divided and torn a community up. It's an eyesore building site. We think house prices will drop by around £100,000 at least." HS2 was originally meant to link up London with Northern cities like Manchester and Leeds as part of a 330-mile flagship high-speed rail network. But after costs spiralled from £37.5bn to more than £180bn, then PM Rishi Sunak decided to only push ahead with a line between the capital and Birmingham. The latest estimate suggests will cost £66 billion for the high speed line between London and Birmingham. HS2 say the Burton Green Tunnel, which is around 70 per cent complete, will be one of five "green tunnels", which will eventually blend into the natural landscape. A spokesperson for HS2 Ltd said: "We are working hard to reduce disruption during the construction of the Burton Green Tunnel and have provided a new village hall for the community. "Excavated soil is being reused for nearby landscaping to avoid putting extra lorries on local roads and help blend the structure into the surrounding countryside. "Once complete, the tunnel will shield neighbouring homes from noise and disturbance, with a new public green space for residents to enjoy. "The existing Kenilworth greenway cycle and footpath will be reinstated along with new landscaping and tree planting to boost biodiversity and create new wildlife habitats." 4 Burton Green before HS2 Credit: Google
The Sun
27-04-2025
- General
- The Sun
Our village is split in half by monstrous 700m HS2 tunnel that turns life into daily nightmare & makes homes unsellable
VILLAGERS have told how HS2 is turning life into a "daily nightmare" - after their small community was carved in half by a 700m tunnel. Burton Green, in Warwickshire, now lies completely divided by a HS2 construction site as work continues to build the massive tunnel in their rural area. 4 4 Shocking images show how the works have carved straight through the middle of the picturesque village. Fuming locals say their homes vibrate due to the loud machinery while dust and dirt wafts into gardens as the surrounding countryside is destroyed. Many residents have already moved out of the area and those who have remained have revealed how their lives have been blighted by the works. When plans were announced for the tunnel the village was billed as potentially being the worst affected by the controversial high-speed rail network. And five years on, many living in the village, which dates back to the 1500s and has around 600 residents, say that has come to fruition after it was turned into an "eyesore building site". Grandmother-of-one Eileen Thompson, 77, a retired secretary, has lived in Burton Green for six years. She said: "It has just been absolutely horrendous from the start. "The dust, the dirt, the noise - all the diversions and road closures, it has literally split our village in two. "There's been all the destruction of the greenery and lots of wildlife displaced. Some people have moved out of the area. "Sometimes if I'm sitting in my house I can feel the whole place vibrating. "We had three weeks of them blasting concrete posts out they had erected wrong and the noise and dirt from that was appalling. "Before there was a lovely walkway alongside what used be a Victorian railway with fields and wildlife on both side - compared to this mess we have now. "It's heartbreaking the see the destruction around us. "They have bought empty properties and knocked them down as people have moved out. HS2 must own more properties than anyone else at the moment. "It is just disgraceful how it has been planned and executed and I can't even see who its really going to be benefit. "We're just going to end up with a shuttle train between Birmingham and London that doesn't quite go all the way into Birmingham or all the way into London. "It is a waste of billions of pounds of our money and I think it will eventually be known one of the biggest scandals in Britain." Mum-of-one Karen Blake, 55, a creative director, accused HS2 of "ruining lives" and described the situation as like "living on the M25." Karen, who has lived in Burton Green for six years after moving from Coventry, said: "We moved from the city for a quieter life and it's been anything but. "We were told it would be two fields over from the village but instead they have built it right at the back of 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. "Before we had fields for miles, loads of nature, we had deer and bats and now they have torn down thousands of trees in an ancient forest for this monstrosity. "What they have done is heartbreaking, people here have had their lives ruined. "I've been in tears at some points. I work from home and you just can't concentrate, you may as well be living on the M25. "You can only use your gardens on a Sunday - because that's the only day they have off. "I just don't know how they can justify its existence or it's cost. I can't see who it's even going to benefit". Other residents say they are concerned that house prices, which currently average around £500,000, could plummet by as much as £100,000. Dad-of-two Phil Fairclough, 55, added: "When the plans were announced there was all this talk saying we could be the worst-affected by HS2. "And if you look around here now I don't think you could argue that - we've had our little village bisected by a railway line nobody here wants. "I've had friends move out, it's divided and torn a community up. It's an eyesore building site. We think house prices will drop by around £100,000 at least." HS2 was originally meant to link up London with Northern cities like Manchester and Leeds as part of a 330-mile flagship high-speed rail network. But after costs spiralled from £37.5bn to more than £180bn, then PM Rishi Sunak decided to only push ahead with a line between the capital and Birmingham. The latest estimate suggests will cost £66 billion for the high speed line between London and Birmingham. HS2 say the Burton Green Tunnel, which is around 70 per cent complete, will be one of five "green tunnels", which will eventually blend into the natural landscape. A spokesperson for HS2 Ltd said: "We are working hard to reduce disruption during the construction of the Burton Green Tunnel and have provided a new village hall for the community. "Excavated soil is being reused for nearby landscaping to avoid putting extra lorries on local roads and help blend the structure into the surrounding countryside. "Once complete, the tunnel will shield neighbouring homes from noise and disturbance, with a new public green space for residents to enjoy. "The existing Kenilworth greenway cycle and footpath will be reinstated along with new landscaping and tree planting to boost biodiversity and create new wildlife habitats." 4
The Irish Sun
27-04-2025
- The Irish Sun
Our village is split in half by monstrous 700m HS2 tunnel that turns life into daily nightmare & makes homes unsellable
VILLAGERS have told how HS2 is turning life into a "daily nightmare" - after their small community was carved in half by a 700m tunnel. Burton Green, in Warwickshire, now lies completely divided by a HS2 construction site as work continues to build the massive tunnel in their rural area. Advertisement 4 Burton Green is completely divided by a HS2 construction site Credit: SWNS 4 The residents have said the road is making their life a 'daily nightmare' Credit: SWNS Shocking images show how the works have carved straight through the middle of the picturesque village. Fuming locals say their homes vibrate due to the loud machinery while dust and dirt wafts into gardens as the surrounding countryside is destroyed. Many residents have already moved out of the area and those who have remained have revealed how their lives have been blighted by the works. When plans were announced for the tunnel the village was billed as potentially being the worst affected by the controversial high-speed rail network. Advertisement And five years on, many living in the village, which dates back to the 1500s and has around 600 residents, say that has come to fruition after it was turned into an "eyesore building site". Grandmother-of-one Eileen Thompson, 77, a retired secretary, has lived in Burton Green for six years. She said: "It has just been absolutely horrendous from the start. "The dust, the dirt, the noise - all the diversions and road closures, it has literally split our village in two. Advertisement Most read in The Sun Live Blog Exclusive "There's been all the destruction of the greenery and lots of wildlife displaced. Some people have moved out of the area. "Sometimes if I'm sitting in my house I can feel the whole place vibrating. New £2billion 'super station' to open in the UK with 250,000 passengers a day and huge outdoor parkland "We had three weeks of them blasting concrete posts out they had erected wrong and the noise and dirt from that was appalling. "Before there was a lovely walkway alongside what used be a Victorian railway with fields and wildlife on both side - compared to this mess we have now. Advertisement "It's heartbreaking the see the destruction around us. "They have bought empty properties and knocked them down as people have moved out. HS2 must own more properties than anyone else at the moment. "It is just disgraceful how it has been planned and executed and I can't even see who its really going to be benefit. "We're just going to end up with a shuttle train between Birmingham and London that doesn't quite go all the way into Birmingham or all the way into London. Advertisement "It is a waste of billions of pounds of our money and I think it will eventually be known one of the biggest scandals in Britain." Mum-of-one Karen Blake, 55, a creative director, accused HS2 of "ruining lives" and described the situation as like "living on the M25." Karen, who has lived in Burton Green for six years after moving from Coventry, said: "We moved from the city for a quieter life and it's been anything but. "We were told it would be two fields over from the village but instead they have built it right at the back of us. Advertisement "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. "Before we had fields for miles, loads of nature, we had deer and bats and now they have torn down thousands of trees in an ancient forest for this monstrosity. "What they have done is heartbreaking, people here have had their lives ruined. "I've been in tears at some points. I work from home and you just can't concentrate, you may as well be living on the M25. Advertisement "You can only use your gardens on a Sunday - because that's the only day they have off. "I just don't know how they can justify its existence or it's cost. I can't see who it's even going to benefit". Other residents say they are concerned that house prices, which currently average around £500,000, could plummet by as much as £100,000. Dad-of-two Phil Fairclough, 55, added: "When the plans were announced there was all this talk saying we could be the worst-affected by HS2. Advertisement "And if you look around here now I don't think you could argue that - we've had our little village bisected by a railway line nobody here wants. "I've had friends move out, it's divided and torn a community up. It's an eyesore building site. We think house prices will drop by around £100,000 at least." HS2 was originally meant to link up London with Northern cities like Manchester and Leeds as part of a 330-mile flagship high-speed rail network. But after costs spiralled from £37.5bn to more than £180bn, then PM Rishi Sunak decided to only push ahead with a line between the capital and Birmingham. Advertisement The latest estimate suggests will cost £66 billion for the high speed line between London and Birmingham. HS2 say the Burton Green Tunnel, which is around 70 per cent complete, will be one of five "green tunnels", which will eventually blend into the natural landscape. A spokesperson for HS2 Ltd said: "We are working hard to reduce disruption during the construction of the Burton Green Tunnel and have provided a new village hall for the community. "Excavated soil is being reused for nearby landscaping to avoid putting extra lorries on local roads and help blend the structure into the surrounding countryside. Advertisement Read more on the Irish Sun "Once complete, the tunnel will shield neighbouring homes from noise and disturbance, with a new public green space for residents to enjoy. "The existing Kenilworth greenway cycle and footpath will be reinstated along with new landscaping and tree planting to boost biodiversity and create new wildlife habitats." 4 Burton Green before HS2 Credit: Google 4 Eileen Thompson who has lived in Burton Green for 6 years Credit: SWNS Advertisement
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
'HS2 has cut our village in half. Daily life has become a nightmare'
Nestled in the Warwickshire countryside, Burton Green is a quintessential English village, its history stretching back to the 1500s. Yet, this serene community of around 600 residents now finds itself cleaved in two by the construction of the 700-metre Burton Green Tunnel, part of the High Speed 2 (HS2) rail project. Images reveal a landscape transformed from its previous picturesque scenery, with heavy machinery and a sprawling construction site slicing through the village's heart, with locals calling it an 'eyesore building site.' For many, life has become a 'daily nightmare,' with vibrating homes, dust-covered gardens, and the roar of machinery disrupting the rural tranquility. Over the past five years, some residents have moved away, while those who remain grapple with the destruction of surrounding countryside. Yet, the HS2 project, of which the Burton Green Tunnel is a key component, promises significant benefits that extend far beyond Warwickshire's borders. Designed to connect London and the West Midlands, HS2 aims to slash journey times – cutting the Birmingham to London trip from 1 hour 21 minutes to just 49 minutes – while boosting rail capacity and fostering economic growth. The project is touted as a catalyst for regional prosperity, creating jobs, upskilling workers, and injecting an estimated £10 billion into the West Midlands economy over a decade. The Burton Green Tunnel itself, one of five eco-conscious 'green tunnels' on the route, will be topped with trees and shrubs to blend into the landscape, aiming to mitigate its environmental footprint. As construction reaches its halfway mark, Burton Green residents have spoken out about the changes to their home as a result of HS2. Grandmother-of-one Eileen Thompson, 77, a retired secretary, has lived in Burton Green for six years. She said the work has been 'absolutely horrendous from the start' and claims her house has vibrated while work has been going on. Thompson said: 'The dust, the dirt, the noise – all the diversions and road closures, it has literally split our village in two… 'We had three weeks of them blasting concrete posts out they had erected wrong and the noise and dirt from that was appalling.' Thompson said as well as the 'destruction of the greenery', the scenery has changed dramatically, with walkways and a Victoria railway now replaced by 'mess'. Hitting out at HS2, she said empty properties had been bought and knocked down, adding: 'It is just disgraceful how it has been planned and executed and I can't even see who its really going to be benefit. 'We're just going to end up with a shuttle train between Birmingham and London that doesn't quite go all the way into Birmingham or all the way into London. 'It is a waste of billions of pounds of our money and I think it will eventually be known one of the biggest scandals in Britain.' Other residents say they are concerned that house prices, which currently average around £500,000, could plummet by as much as £100,000. Dad-of-two Phil Fairclough, 55, said: 'When the plans were announced there was all this talk saying we could be the worst-affected by HS2. 'And if you look around here now I don't think you could argue that – we've had our little village bisected by a railway line nobody here wants. 'I've had friends move out, it's divided and torn a community up. It's an eyesore building site. We think house prices will drop by around £100,000 at least.' A spokesperson for HS2 Ltd said they were 'working hard to reduce disruption' during the construction of the Burton Green Tunnel, and said that they have provided a new village hall for the community, as well as vowing to return much of the village to its former glory. The spokesperson added: 'Excavated soil is being reused for nearby landscaping to avoid putting extra lorries on local roads and help blend the structure into the surrounding countryside. 'Once complete, the tunnel will shield neighbouring homes from noise and disturbance, with a new public green space for residents to enjoy. 'The existing Kenilworth greenway cycle and footpath will be reinstated along with new landscaping and tree planting to boost biodiversity and create new wildlife habitats.' HS2's new chief executive, Mark Wild, appointed in December last year, warned that the project faces a 'very serious situation' and needs a 'fundamental reset.' However, last month he insisted the project has 'great value, intrinsic value', adding: 'HS2 will prove its worth'. He was speaking after the Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said that HS2 is an example of 'how not to run a major project' and the government 'must not waste' its latest opportunity to reset the programme. In its damning report, the PAC said HS2 Ltd – the government-owned company responsible for building the high-speed railway – and the DfT have 'failed to work together effectively'. The DfT's estimated cost of HS2 in November 2023 was in the range of £45 billion to £54 billion, while HS2 Ltd's latest estimate in June 2024 was between £54 billion and £66 billion. However, all these figures were in 2019 prices and once adjusted for inflation, the cost 'might be close to £80 billion', according to the report. Earlier this month, Buckinghamshire Council rejected HS2's plan for an underground chamber and ditch in Wendover to manage groundwater, potentially delaying the Wendover Green Tunnel. The decision could cost taxpayers tens of millions of pounds. Click below to see the latest West Midlands headlines
