A father felt “condolences” for forcible sale of a quarter of his dairy farm Axed HS2 Northern Line Fear that he will never be able to buy the ground back.
Edward Cavenag-Menwaring lost about 250 acres of land when his family cultivated over 900 years in Staffordshire when the Transport Department (DFT) bought it through a compulsory purchase order (CPO). High speed railway line In October 2023.
Five days later, former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak Announced The route from Birmingham to Manchester will not proceed.
Overall, DFT spent £ 592m Buy land and qualities Axes with phase 2A and 2B routes, Independent Can reveal. The cash was spent on a land of 6.5 square miles along with 1,001 properties.
At least 710 houses are now hired by HS2, according to which it is about £ 9m per year. a report From I paper In December.
However, despite the decision to scrape phase 2 of the line about two years ago, there has been no beginning of sales of surplus land and assets in Stafordshire villages in Madli and Whitmore, where dozens of houses were bought,
Last year, a transport minister No land Until the government decided on the alternative 50-mile railway line, it will be sold. Independent Understands that the detailed future plans for Step 2 land will be released by DFT in summer.
The surplus land will be sold then in which previous owners will get the first chance to buy – but at the current market price, what they sold instead.
However, Mr. Cavenagh-Mainewaring said that with the increase in prices of sales of their land under CPO in 2023, with an increase in prices, it means that he would not be able to tolerate it.
He said: “I go through a difficult process of feeling effectively like mourning. Losing that area of the farm and going for a day, I can walk on the ground, the next day I am torturing.
“Then to find out that the line was not made, it was a shock, and also a relief.
“I would now like to bring back the land at a reasonable price. It was my family heritage, but I worry that I will not be able to buy it.”
Under the CPO, a final agreement for the price of land purchased from Mr. Cavenag-Menwaring has still not reached, but he has received 90 percent of DFT’s offer of about 11,000 pounds per acre.
Mr. Cavenagh-Menwaring believes that if they will now be charged £ 15,000 one acre to buy back.
“This is actually a scam,” he said. “People have not been treated properly, and many people are mentally hurt.”
Speak in Commons on WednesdayTransport Secretary Heidi Alexander labeled the HS2 project “a terrible mess”, as he revealed that it would not meet a target for the opening of the first phase of the line – London to Birmingham – by 2033.
Last year, the issue of people facing difficulties in buying back properties at the House of Lords was raised when Lord Cromwell assured the reports that people were being offered land at a high price.
In the National Audit Office Latest report On cancellation of HS2, it was stated that DFT and HS2 would look at the value for money for taxpayers when attracting plans for land and property disposal.
Step 1 Ten properties on foot have been sold as part of a pilot project for the disposal scheme, Independent Understands
DFT purchased assets and land under various schemes during the scheme of Phase 2A and 2B, including CPOs, voluntary procurement and requirement-to-selling schemes.
Overall, for Phase 2A, from Birmingham to Crave, £ 224m 251 was spent on houses, for Manchester for Phase 2B west, £ 205M was spent on 195 homes, and for Leads for Phase 2B east, £ 164M 5555 houses were spent.
Shopping hits communities where family and friends who lived together for generations were separated.
Whitmore Heath’s Stafordshire Hamlet, near Newcastle-Ein-Lim, Phil Dan Forced to sell your dream houseFour bedrooms, a landscape garden and equipped with a private bar, for the ax line.
When contacted IndependentHe suspected that anyone would want to buy a house back after his “life was ruined and after turmoil.
In the surrounding village of Whitmore, a resident Steve Kolklo said the landscape of the community changed, in which long-lasting businessmen and women were moving away and their families were replaced with new residents to hire their families.
“Not only this is a whole waste of time and money,” he said. “But this has tore communities. I suspect that many people who lose their homes will now be able to come back with prices.”
A HS2 spokesperson said: “HS2 will sell assets that are no longer in line with the government’s policy.
“The properties will be confirmed only once as a surplus, and the sale will follow a structured process, including the crickel down rules and compliance with market assessment requirements.”
A DFT spokesperson said: “As the Transport Secretary said, this government is reaching HS2 from Birmingham to London after years of mismanagement, flaw reporting and ineffective oversight.
“We will determine detailed plans for land and property for the project later in this summer – this summer should provide value for money to ensure any sales later and local property markets should not be interrupted.”
