A farming family who planted woodlands on their grounds 25 years ago are devastated that a national infrastructure project is cutting it down.

The wooded area in question, part of Elm tree Farm in Steeple Claydon, near Bicester, is where the HS2 project is building its infrastructure maintenance depot, which will bring 180 jobs.

It will house the people and equipment for the first phase of the project.

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Ingryd Hodges, the owner of Elm tree Farm in Steeple Claydon, near Bicester, said: “The project has already taken two woodlands from our farm in the last five years, and destroyed hundreds of really old oak trees.

“My four children love to play in the woodland which is now being cut down by HS2, and I feel as if the project is taking nature away from my kids and handing it to the workers.

“This latest woodland is under ‘temporary land take’, which we believe means it is supposed to be given back in the way it was found.

“But now, HS2 workers have told me there are plans to make permanent ponds in the woodland.

“They’ve already cut down a number of trees, reducing the size of the woodland by a few acres, and perhaps most concerning is that my kids have three of their horses buried there.

“We go to the woodland every day so we buried them there to allow the kids to pay a visit, but now I’m worried HS2 will dig them up.”

Oxford Mail: Woodland near Elm Tree Farm cut down by HS2

In response, a HS2 spokeswoman said: “The specific area is outside the boundary of the main depot where we’ll build landscaped noise barriers and drainage ponds.

“This will help protect the nearby village from noise and light from the depot. To do that, we will need to remove the trees that are currently there, and will engage with the family about the horses buried there.

“In terms of ownership, the land is in temporary possession because the design hasn’t been finalised. But we do retain the power to take full possession of it in the future.

“We recognise that our neighbours did not choose to live beside a railway and compensation is available as well as funding for community and environmental projects.

Oxford Mail: Woodland near Elm Tree Farm cut down by HS2

“We are in regular contact with Elm Tree Farm as our plans for the infrastructure maintenance depot develop.

"The area in question was always required for construction and will be used to create new landscaped noise barriers to protect the nearby village from noise and disturbance.”

The HS2 project has been branded as “unachievable” by the government’s infrastructure watchdog.

 

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This story was written by Matthew Norman, he joined the team in 2022 as a Facebook community reporter.

Matthew covers Bicester and focuses on finding stories from diverse communities.

Get in touch with him by emailing: Matthew.norman@newsquest.co.uk

Follow him on Twitter: @OxMailMattN1