Residents: ‘We’re digging in for a rail tunnel battle!’

Published: 29 April 2010
by JOSIE HINTON

THE leader of Camden Council has written to Transport Secretary Lord Adonis over fears residents living above a proposed super-fast rail tunnel may not be compensated for damage to their homes.

Last week the New Journal revealed how the High Speed Two (HS2) company’s own engineers admitted properties could be blighted by leaks and cracks if the line is built just 20 metres below.

High Speed Two (HS2) was set up by the government to work on the line between London and Birmingham. It has outlined a compensation package in response to residents’ fears over noise disturbance, damage to homes and plunging property prices. The May 20 deadline for residents to apply for compensation is fast approaching, but they will not be able to have their say on the plans until the autumn, when consultation finally begins. 

And according to HS2’s own guidelines, people living directly above the tunnel would not be eligible to apply, as the expected damage would be “limited”.

Camden Council leader Cllr Keith Moffit has now written to Lord Adonis calling for clarification on the scheme to be sent out to all residents that may be affected. He has also called for the deadline to be pushed back to June 25 – to give residents time to consider their options.

In his letter to Lord Adonis, Cllr Moffit said: “Residents here have been unhappy that there has been a real lack of information about the HS2 plans and in particular on this first consultation. In Primrose Hill village, where HS2 guidance says properties will experience settlement, very few people were aware of the proposals, let alone the consultation.”

Under the Exceptional Hardship Scheme (EHS), the government would offer to buy properties whose value had been seriously affected by the proposals. 

But according to HS2’s own guidelines, compensation is limited to properties in the “vicinity” of the line – not those directly above.

It states: “Where the route option is in tunnel we would expect any blighting effects to be limited. Given this, EHS would not apply to properties above tunnelled sections.”   

The information, which is buried in HS2’s report on the scheme, has sent shockwaves around the areas that may be affected.

Primrose Hill resident Roberta Berke, who lives in Eglon Mews, said: “It’s outrageous and unfair that people who may have to live directly above these tunnels would not be able to get any compensation.”

Cllr Moffitt believes the government’s actions have broken their own guidelines for consultation which require departments to avoid taking action during election periods, to raise awareness of those that may be affected and to send out consultation documents. They also specify at least 12 weeks for any consultation – which has been broken by the May 20 deadline.

A Department for Transport spokesman said: “The 20th May is the deadline for responses to the consultation on the terms and scope of the proposed exceptional hardship scheme, where householders most affected by the route recommendations and who have a pressing need to sell can apply to the government to purchase their property. This is not the deadline for applications for properties to be purchased. Should the government decide to proceed with the scheme, applications would then be accepted and this scheme would be open for as long as it is needed.”