A North Staffordshire village is still waiting for answers - after the majority of its houses were left empty. Many villagers sold their homes more than nine years ago for HS2 - and a vacuum has been left behind.
In Whitmore Heath 35 of the 50 properties were purchased and still people living there don't know if or when they will be able to return or sell their houses. Villagers have previously described how some of the properties have been used by squatters or as cannabis factories.
Newcastle borough councillor Paul Northcott says the situation has had a big impact on community spirit and cohesion and that people have been waiting for a solution for the past nine years.
He said: "We haven't moved on in all the nine years that this has been going on. There are still people that have got things outstanding, they haven't had the resolution they were expecting.
"A lack of communication from HS2 about where they stand in terms of possibly buying back their properties that were compulsory purchased. The vacuum that's been left inside the community because of the empty houses that are still there and nobody occupying them so it's not really cohesive to a community spirit."
The village is deafeningly quiet due to the lack of villagers. Despite a spokesperson stating no property owner was compelled to sell their properties, many report of houses being compulsory purchased due to a tunnel which was planned to run 30 metres beneath the village.
Mr Northcott added: "It's a community that's been left in limbo for the last nine years and it really hasn't moved on. Of course they haven't been able to sell their properties while all this has been going on, so they're basically been hostage to their own community really.
"They haven't been able to sell their properties or move on, or downsize because of this and it's had a massive impact on the perceived house prices. I think people are still unsettled about it, I know there's quite a lot of anger in the village.
"People have died waiting on a resolution, it's in double figures, it's just not fair. It has just forced a very nasty impact on a community that's still licking its wounds because it hasn't had that resolution of a decision and it sorely needs to be made at a parliamentary level and get this sorted once and for all."
The Independent has reported that security costs to patrol the empty properties is the highest in Staffordshire. It reports that in 2023/24 the cost reached £481,786.65.
Mr Northcott added: "I just wish they'd made a proper decision about it and put people's minds at rest that this is going to be resolved one way or another and that they are either going to be allowed to purchase their properties back or move on. The properties that are empty, vast amounts of money to patrol them and on security services to keep them empty, when in fact they could be providing valuable homes to people."
HS2 has stressed 'no propery owner was compelled to sell their property'.
A spokesperson for HS2 Ltd said: "HS2 would have run in a tunnel up to 30 metres beneath Whitmore Heath. No property owner in the village was compelled to sell their property for the high-speed rail programme because none were required for the line to be built. However, subject to eligibility, a suite of schemes was available to people who chose to sell.
"Thirty five properties were sold to HS2 Ltd. A large majority of which are let on the private rental market, while most of the others are either undergoing or awaiting renovations ahead of letting."