A Cheshire dairy farmer who successfully fought plans to seize nearly half his land for the scrapped HS2 line now faces the prospect of years more uncertainty due to a proposed new north-south railway.
A Battle Won, But War of Nerves Continues
John Edge, 74, from Wimboldsley Grange Farm near Middlewich, saw off the threat of losing 300 of his 700 acres to the high-speed rail project after former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak axed the northern leg in October 2023. However, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander's announcement on Wednesday 14 January 2026 of plans for a new line between Birmingham and Manchester has cast a fresh shadow over his family's future.
"It is another Damocles sword now hanging over our heads," Mr Edge told The Independent. "After all these years of uncertainty, from when HS2 was first announced, we have wanted this to end... But this news only brings it all back."
The Department for Transport's safeguarding order, which protects the land from other development for potential future transport projects, remains firmly in place on his farm. This has already severely impacted his life, delaying his retirement plans for two years as he struggled to sell the farmhouse due to the blight of potential compulsory purchase.
Community in Limbo Along Scrapped Route
The Edge family are not alone. Thousands of residents and businesses along the cancelled HS2 route from Handsacre to Manchester now face renewed anxiety, despite government assurances that the new plan is not an "HS2 revival".
In the village of Wimboldsley, with a population of around 140, Mr Edge said the prolonged uncertainty had "knocked the stuffing" out of the community. Approximately 20 homes were purchased by HS2 Ltd, with several now standing empty and in poor condition. HS2 had spent over £380 million on 459 properties along the scrapped route by August last year.
Further south in Staffordshire, the sentiment echoes. Ben Wilkes of the Border Collie Trust, whose land was also in the path of HS2, described the situation as "like a form of water torture". In Whitmore Heath, where 35 of 50 homes were sold for HS2, campaigner Deborah Mallender called the new railway plans "the worst nightmare for many residents. We're back to square one again."
Political Pressure and a Plea for Certainty
The announcement sparked immediate concern in the House of Commons. Lichfield MP Dave Robertson stated that constituents had endured "17 long years" of disruption and failure from HS2 Ltd, and that the cancellation had merely "replaced it with uncertainty". He warned that the new statement "confirms that uncertainty will last for another two decades".
Mr Robertson urged the Transport Secretary to quickly redesign the safeguarding zone to release land. While Ms Alexander acknowledged the fresh uncertainty for some, she emphasised the long-term need for a new line to address congestion on the West Coast Main Line, stressing "no decisions have been taken on the specification or timetable".
For John Edge, the human cost is measured in stalled lives and a clouded legacy. His son helps run the dairy herd, whose size and viability would be "considerably impacted" by any loss of the safeguarded land. "It's gone on for too long," he said. "It's impacted many lives, including our own, it's just not good enough."
