20 hours ago
What happened to the homes bought by HS2?
S ome 50 family homes sit on the wooded slopes of Whitmore Heath in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, each in its own generous plot, individually designed in a dazzling array of architectural styles, from faux Arts and Crafts to stark contemporary.
Many of the residents are in their seventies, eighties and nineties, having lived on Whitmore Heath for decades, raising their families here. Until HS2 came along and turned their world upside down.
In 2011 the West Midlands to Crewe leg of the high-speed railway, or Phase 2a, was announced and HS2 started buying homes in the area, which locals call 'millionaires' row'. The Department for Transport now owns more than half of the homes here. This is despite the fact that Phase 2 of the project was cancelled by Rishi Sunak in 2023.
