1. The HS2 Rolling Stock Depot (RSD) planned in Wimboldsley will be the size of more than 100 football pitches.
2. The A530 through Wimboldsley is a main ambulance route to and from Leighton Hospital. There is NO alternative route.
3. Wimboldsley Parish alone will lose 40% of its land area. HS2 is a massive threat to the viability of Wimboldsley School.
4. Loss of National Cycle Routes along the canal and popular walking routes. Canal businesses from Middlewich to Rudheath severely affected by loss of trade with closure of the canal. This will be exacerbated during construction of viaducts over the Trent and Mersey and River Dane, enormous embankments above the salt mine at Winsford and Billinge Flashes salt sink holes.
5. At HS2’s own information event in Middlewich on Monday 12 July 2021, HS2 admitted that they have not worked out how to deal with the ‘waste water’ from the Rolling Stock Depot and surrounding area as they will be blocking the natural route to the River Weaver and contaminating large quantities of water: if not resolved, the River Weaver will be more polluted when flowing through Northwich.
6. Local trading and business estates including Winsford Industrial Estate and Gadbrook Park will be in jeopardy during 10 -15 years of construction.
7. Construction of the HS2 line between Rudheath roundabout and Ascol Drive with the simultaneous realignment of the A556 – if not achieved as stated ‘off line by HS2’ – plus the proximity of the new road line to the existing A556 / Lime Slurry Beds/ Ethylene Bore Hole /Holford Brine fields makes this ‘simultaneous realignment’ extremely difficult if not impossible. The realignment will cause massive disruption to traffic trying to access Northwich businesses along the route of the A556 and the daily commute for thousands of people for years. Businesses in Northwich will pay a hefty price.
8. Residents of Lostock Gralam will be subjected to years of HGV construction traffic as the diversion route around the construction of the A556 realignment will be via Manchester Road (A559) and Griffiths Road (A530). This is already a key concern for local residents, who will be dealing with extra vehicle movements and HGV congestion due to traffic ‘feeding’ the incinerator. We have pointed out numerous times that there is a height restriction at the Mid Cheshire Rail Line overbridge on Griffiths Road and height restrictions at overbridge carrying high temperature liquid slurry in open conduit.
9. Lostock Green has to deal with the insults of its footpaths being removed and pedestrian access severed: HS2 has marked ‘a new public right of way in red on map CT-05-315 from the diverted junction of Birches Lane. This adds about a mile on the walk to the nearest shop and also to the Railway station, which is the nearest public transport.
10. The diversion of Birches Lane and its junction onto the A556 is hazardous – it means that fast-moving traffic on the A556 will descend a steep slope from a blind summit and within a few hundred metres meet very slow-moving traffic exiting or accessing Birches Lane. This is a clear hazard.
11. The construction of a viaduct crossing the A556 at the Lostock Gralam Triangle will cut a swathe through Winnington Wood, destroying 30% of the ancient woodland.
12. Embankments…. We have no information from HS2 on proposed embankments but a width at ground level of over 100 metres suggests that embankment heights up to 30 metres are likely – and this equates to almost the height of the Stockport viaduct or more than six double-decker buses.
13. The residents of Ascol Drive will be subjected to 10 years of noise, dust and light pollution from the main construction compound sited on the field to the south of Ascol Drive. This will also potentially affect another ancient wood, Long Wood and the SSSI site at the previously named Plumley Nature Reserve.
14. The land grab on the January 2022 maps between the Morrisons roundabout and the Lostock Triangle is 156% greater than the October 2018 Working Draft Environmental Statement.
15. During construction of HS2, Lostock Green will become isolated from the rest of the world – it’ll be surrounded by a combination of safeguarded land, stockpile mounds, construction compounds, diversions and re-routing of A556, major utility diversions from gas mains and overhead electricity pylons / lines.
16. HS2 will be an environmental nightmare for Cheshire with colossal loss of wildlife, green fields, trees, biodiverse habitats and potential contamination of local watercourses.
17. The UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world; there are very few ancient woodlands remaining and in Cheshire, three of them will be destroyed by HS2.
18. HS2 will be within 300 metres of the Grade 2* listed Whatcroft Hall, currently acquired by HS2 Ltd at a cost to the taxpayer of £6.8m
19. After the massive intrusive and disruptive impact of 10 years’ construction, there will be the visual and noise impacts of the many permanent installations in addition to the high-speed rail line. For example, the infrastructure and activity from the Rolling Stock Depot at Wimboldsley along with the dimensions, height and noise levels from the rail line side installations – substations, transformers, telecommunications sites, at Stanthorne, Whatcroft, Billinge Green, Lostock Green, Longwood and Lostock Gralam.
20. There will be a massive effect on health and well-being within the parishes that will be carved up left, right and centre with no escape for residents. A ten-year construction plan with associated works causing major delays to local traffic, dust, noise, loss of a green environment will contribute to a lesser quality of life for CWAC residents, increasing the risk of depression and stress. Overall quality of life will diminish enormously and there is no compensation for that. HS2 has already had a negative psychological effect on residents for the past nine years.
HS2 Phase 2b January 2022 Environmental Statement
How to comment on the impact upon our environments and communities is set out in the HS2 Phase 2b Jan 2022 Environmental Statement Consultation where YOU can make your feelings known is at:
The closing date of for comments on the effects of HS2 is 31st March 2022
How do I find out if my area is impacted?
Have a look at the Wimboldsley to Lostock Gralam / HS2 Map Book MA02 at:
