HS2: Shimmer estate residents lives 'on hold' despite plan axe

A 60ft (18m) high viaduct would have cut through the estate as part of the HS2 link to Sheffield

Residents on an estate once threatened by the HS2 rail link say their "lives are still on hold" despite the route being abandoned six months ago.

Some homes on the Shimmer estate in Mexborough were due to be demolished as part of a new route to Sheffield.

The government is safeguarding the land - not allowing it to be built on or sold - for possible future use.

Local councillor Andy Pickering said the delay on deciding what to do with the estate was "disgraceful".

"This has been hanging over the heads of this community since 2016," he said.

"We had the announcement six months ago, but of course safeguarding is still in place and there is complete silence from anyone in government."

Local councillor Andy Pickering said there had been "complete silence from anyone in government"

Mr Pickering, who sits as an independent councillor for the Mexborough First Party, said the government's new £96bn Integrated Rail Plan to improve rail services in the Midlands and the North might mean the estate "could be in the firing line again".

"Whether the new Integrated Rail Plan is going to use some of that safeguarding for its own ends we just don't know," he said.

"People can't move on. They can't just up sticks or move or buy because they can't get mortgages for properties while it's safeguarded."

More than 200 homes have been built since work on the estate began in 2011.

Many properties were bought by the HS2 developers after the original plans called for 16 homes to be demolished to make way for a 60ft (18m) high viaduct.

Jean Rogers said the safeguarding of the land had made the situation "really quite uncomfortable"

Jean Rogers, who lives in Bramley near Rotherham next to the proposed route, said residents' "lives are still on hold".

"Because the safeguarding was still in place it made it really quite uncomfortable, because we were not able to finalise everything and just get on with our lives," she said.

"You're still wondering why are they still keeping the safeguarding on. Safeguarding for what?"

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: "Safeguarding... has been maintained as we look at the best way to take HS2 trains to Leeds.

"Residents and small business can continue to apply for compensation."