'HS2 poses a real threat to our homes and could change our community completely'
HS2 poses a major threat to residents living in parts of south Manchester who fear their community could be destroyed.
The high-speed railway line will run from London to Manchester, with branches in Birmingham and the East Midlands, and is due for completion between 2029 and 2033. The current costs are just over £40billion, with a contingency placing it at £44.6bn.
People living in Didsbury and Northenden, on the banks of the River Mersey, already face threats whenever storms hit as flooding is often never too far away. But now HS2 bosses want to build a "sizeable" ventilation shaft at the former Hollies Convent School site in West Didsbury. They say the infrastructure is necessary to regulate air quality and temperature in the HS2 tunnels which would run below the line.
However, there is a growing belief in the community that the current plans are simply in the wrong place. The location sits in 'flood zone three', meaning it is currently deemed to be an area of significant risk of flooding. Alison Hunt, environmental officer for West Didsbury Residents Association, says people are 'very, very worried'.
Alison Hunt, environmental officer for West Didsbury Residents Association (Manchester Evening News)
Coun Richard Kilpatrick, Liberal Democrat member for Didsbury West (Manchester Evening News)She told the Manchester Evening News: "It's in a very densely populated area, near the River Mersey, which floods regularly. We've had two 'one-in-100-year' events in 2021 [and 2022], and a lot of people were evacuated from their homes.
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"This will undoubtedly increase flood risk." Alison says the plans in their current form would 'destroy a large green area that acts as a natural sponge and flood defence'.
A ventilation shaft had previously been planned at Withington Golf Course, which sat in the local flood basin - land used to carry the flow of floodwater. That proposal was axed due to concerns about the flood risk, but there are fears the latest proposals are still not good enough.
Statements published by HS2 earlier this summer which revealed the plans suggest that, in a 'one-in-100 year' flooding event, there would be an increase in 'peak flood levels' in some areas. This includes part of Northenden Golf Club, according to official documents.
Worryingly, HS2 also says an 'unknown' number of properties could also see an increased flood risk downstream of Princess Road, one of the city's busiest areas. In the plans, HS2 points to the loss of 'floodplain storage' at The Hollies as a potential reason for increased flood levels in the most severe weather events.
Coun Richard Kilpatrick, Liberal Democrat member for Didsbury West on Manchester City Council, was one of the residents evacuated twice in 13 months during storms Christoph and Franklin. "We were told that flooding of the type we saw was a one-in-100 year event," he said.
Coun Angela Moran and Coun Debbie Hilal (Manchester Evening News)"It then happened again the following year. It goes without saying that we are not convinced that flooding events in this area are one-in-100 years.
"Ultimately anything built within the flood zone that would put at risk further properties that are not currently at risk... should not be allowed to happen." Coun Kilpatrick also fears 'mitigation' will be proposed by HS2 bosses which will not resolve the issue.
"There are massive implications," added Coun Angela Moran, Labour member for Northenden. "HS2 have said it could impact flooding - that's a massive concern to the residents in the flood plain."
Flood risk is not the only concern about the plans for residents, who also fear the disruption on nearby Barlow Moor Road when the vent shaft is built, as well as the possible impact on local wildlife - from bats, badgers and hedgehogs, to endangered birds on the red list.
"The whole nature of our community will change completely," Alison Hunt added. The planned vent shaft could also see the loss of a school which hasn't even opened its doors yet.
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The Manchester Islamic Grammar School for Girls will be moving to the nearby former Fielden Park college campus next month, while the Manchester Islamic Educational Trust's Prep School will follow in January, after both existing sites were sold. But that site faces the prospect of being part-demolished if the current proposals go ahead.
A spokesperson for the trust said it does 'not have any fall-back position' from the Fielden Park site, and the closure of the school would 'jeopardise the very existence of the trust' and 'gravely limit the choice of parents within the community to send their children to an Islamic faith school'. HS2 insists it chose the location for the vent shaft before plans for the school to open on the site were announced, and says it is 'confident' the plans can be developed 'to reduce any impact'.
It is understood Manchester City Council will challenge the planned siting of the vent shaft as part of a petition on the HS2 phase 2B Bill, ahead of the deadline on August 15. Petitions will be heard by the Select Committee that is considering the Bill.
Coun Debbie Hilial, Labour member for Didsbury West, says she 'implores HS2 to review the location'. "I just don't think this is a suitable location for this vent shaft which is very large," she added. "The disruption, the impact on the local area, the loss of this lovely green space."
HS2 insists it is 'committed to minimising disruption for local communities' during construction and operation of the proposed railway. An HS2 spokesperson said: “We understand that residents may be concerned about the new location proposed for the vent shaft, but we can assure them that we have worked closely with the Environment Agency to ensure the accuracy of local flood modelling assessments.
"Alternative locations within the floodplain were explored with the Environment Agency, and their preference was for locations outside of the Didsbury Flood Storage Basin. The decision on whether to approve the new location, at the Hollies, is a matter for Parliament.
"The petitioning period is currently underway and responses from directly affected parties will be carefully considered by the Select Committee ahead of reaching a conclusion.”
A spokesperson for the Environment Agency added: “We have been working closely with HS2 Ltd and their contractors on the development of the project, and we also continue to work with local areas and local authorities to ensure the environment and public are rightfully protected.
“Our specialist officers continue to liaise with HS2 Ltd on the installation of the vent shaft in Didsbury, to ensure any flood risk issues are properly resolved through the ongoing design process.”
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