TheFeature Graham Robson, manager of Michael
Graham's Aylesbury office says, “Obviously, nobody in the area likes the proposal, because it doesn't benefit anyone here at all. It goes from London to Birmingham with nothing in between. Prospective buyers are steering away from properties near the line while home owners want to get out.” Robson claims that he has been instructed
on four properties close to the line, and that he has conducted between 10 to 15 viewings for one of them. “Everyone's said that it's a beautiful house and there's nothing wrong with the price, but it's too close to the line. People are not even putting low offers in; they're just walking away. He continues, “Some people still want to
view, hence the viewings, the problem is when they see in reality where the line is. We all have Google Earth, so everyone can see where it is going to be, but seeing it in person is a different matter.” Conversely, an agent in Burton Green in
Warwickshire, which is expected to be bisected by HS2, claims to have sold four properties near the proposed route. “Buyers have been locals, who understand the route and the potential risk involved,”she claims. “One was an investment buyer, so he's obviously not living in it himself, but generally, we made them aware of the line before viewings, and that the property would be affected.” She adds, “Buyers have taken the view that if they're looking to settle down, they have to be prepared to take a risk. The problem previously was more the unknown and whether or not the line would happen.” The agent claims that property prices are being affected, but not significantly. Of the four properties she has sold, only one had to be reduced from £450,000 to £420,000, which she says is a result from her having made prospective buyers fully aware of the
“We’ve had people in tears. They’ve had two years of waiting and messing about during the consultation stage, which is insane. Fourteen years in the making is going to
have a massive impact on the community.” An Aylesbury-based agent
potential risks from the outset of contact with the agency. Conversely, in Camden in North London, HS2 is expected to have a devastating impact, primarily because of the severity of construction work required to build the start of the line at Euston. According to Camden County Council, 216 local homes will be demolished, and a further 264 will be at risk of demolition on Regent’s Park estate.
20 l March 2012 l TheNegotiator
OPPOSITION Opposition against HS2 is wide-ranging. STOP HS2 is a national campaign aimed at persuading the government to scrap its proposal. The consortium is seeking a judicial review of the government's approval of the scheme, with expected costs of around £100,000. The group refutes the government's claim that HS2 will create
£47bn worth of benefits for the UK, adding that the damage to the environment far outweighs these, even if they were true. Among the councils, Camden objects to
the detrimental affect of HS2 on its communities. “Camden Council remains strongly opposed to High Speed 2 and is dismayed with the government’s decision to go ahead with the line. Construction work on the line will bring huge levels of blight,
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