Couple devastated after learning historic farmhouse they spent six-figure sum renovating risks being torn down to make way for HS2
Louise Nicholson, 43, and her husband Howard, 48, face agonising wait to discover if their family home near Rotherham will be on the final route of new high speed rail service
A COUPLE have been left devastated after learning the historic farmhouse they spent a six-figure sum renovating risks being torn down to make way for the HS2.
Louise Nicholson, 43, and her husband Howard, 48 lived in a caravan for TWO YEARS while they overhauled the Grade II listed farmhouse they bought for £200,000 in 2012.
But the couple say they are now "completely powerless" after being told that their Nickerwood Farm home near Aston, in Rotherham, South Yorks could be demolished under the revised route for the new high-speed rail line.
Louise said: “No one can give us any answers.
“We put our lives on the line for this.
“We are completely powerless.”
The family, who own a civil engineering business and have four daughters are now "in limbo" when it comes to the future of where they live and don't know what will happen next.
Louise added: "We received a letter on July, 7 just before we were due to go on holiday.
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"When we got the letter, it said, 'we realise that you will be distressed' which is just more of an understatement that they'll ever realise.”
"One of the questions we have asked at an HS2 meeting is because we are in a conservation area, will planning laws be relaxed? They said they couldn't answer that because the route is only proposed."
Major changes have been made to the intended HS2 route through South Yorkshire after rail bosses scrapped plans for a new station in Meadowhall, just outside Sheffield, in favour of a 'spur' into Sheffield city centre - a decision officials claim will save £1bn.
But the intended new route running from the Mansfield area in Notts., up to Wakefield, West Yorks., is due to affect homes and businesses in South Yorkshire areas such as Bramley, Aston and Swallownest, Barnburgh, Mexborough and Denaby.
Speaking about their renovations, Mrs Nicholson said: "It was completely derelict, falling down and about to collapse.
"I can't even tell you the pain we gave had dong this house. We had to take it down piece by piece and number the stone so it all went back in exactly the same place. Now it could all just be demolished.
“We moved back into the house in December 2014 so we haven't had long to enough the fruits of our labour.
"HS2 is a complete waste of money. It is going to save people 20 minutes on a journey to London and you can't even get on in South Yorkshire.
"I don't understand why they can't update the existing lines."
A final decision on whether the new route will go ahead is due by the end of the year.
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