As the controversial rail link goes billions over budget, the Serious Fraud Office is gathering evidence from angry property owners
expensive lawyers with expertise in land values to present her case.
Zoopla has estimated that the current average price paid for properties in Derbyshire of £213,888, shows they have increased by 1.11 per cent over the past six months.
Residents at the newly-built Shimmer estate at Mexborough, South Yorkshire, are also angry over HS2 as the route slices right through the homes.
Mother-of-two Tracy Stone said: “Four days after I moved in I was told most of the new estate would have to be knocked down. They’ve been offering ridiculously low prices and the whole process just feels very unfair.”
She’s settled on a valuation of £169,000, which she says is £5,000 less than the market value.
News of the SFO probe comes as allegations of fraud made in House of Lords are disclosed today for the first time. Labour peer Lord Berkeley, a longtime opponent of the project, made a string of serious allegations while giving evidence to the Lords’ Grand Committee.
Talking about the overspend on Crossrail, Lord Berkeley said: “HS2 is 10 times worse, not only because the costs are very much higher but because evidence of cost overruns, cover-ups and, I must say, fraud and worse are rampant even before the permanent construction work has started. Many people on HS2 believe that the specification was ridiculously high.
“Contractors have signed up to ‘design and construct’ contracts but cannot make the figures work. That is why we are getting delayed.”
He went on to claim that two whistleblowers, both highly skilled professionals on property issues, were sacked just 30 minutes before they were due to present their findings on property costs to Transport Department officials. He named one of them as Doug Thornton, the former head of property at HS2, who made allegations on the BBC’s Panorama programme last December. Mr Thornton alleged that HS2 costings underestimated the value of many properties on the railway’s routes. He told the BBC: “I have never seen anything like it. I was absolutely appalled… that numbers could be advanced in such a loose and slapdash fashion.”
Lord Berkeley also told the Lords he was aware of a report that HS2 has signed a total of 280 nondisclosure agreements with external parties.
But in another Lords debate last month, Baroness Vere of Norbition, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Transport, argued that HS2 would bring benefits worth £92billion. She disclosed that £7.4billion has already been spent.
Work is well underway creating the HS2 station by Euston in London. Old Oak Common will be the super-hub. It will connect with Curzon Street Station in Birmingham, which has already drawn criticism from local Labour MP Liam Byrne. He wants
PASSENGER services between the capital and Birmingham are due to start in 2026. Phase two of the project to Manchester and Leeds is due to be completed by 2034.
More than 900 properties worth almost £600million have been bought so far.
Comedian John Bishop was forced to sell his home in Cheshire, Whatcroft Hall, for nearly £7million.
His representative has said he was unhappy with having to sell up because it meant destroying everything he had worked for.
And the comic has previously described HS2 as the “Great Train Robbery”.
HS2 Ltd said: “We fully understand how difficult it is for people impacted by the railway and are committed to supporting affected homeowners.
“Every situation is unique and there will often be different opinions about the value of a property.
“We have a responsibility to establish a price that is fair both for homeowners and the taxpayer.
“Where there are disagreements, alternative dispute resolution or a reference to tribunal is available.”