"My rural business of 32 years is in danger of being extinguished by HS2"

A nursery owner has told MPs plans to build HS2 through the middle of his land would cost him his home and his business of over 30 years.

David Germain has run Windmill Nurseries in Tabley, near Knutsford, for 32 years - but fears the plans for HS2, as they currently stand, could spell the end for his business. His firm, Windmill Nurseries grows plants to supply direct to customers and also to wholesale and retail businesses - but HS2's phase 2b, the western leg of HS2, is set to involve the compulsory purchase of a big chunk of Mr Germain's land including his home, Windmill House, and the siting of an autotransformer station (ATS) there.

He has therefore launched his petition against the High Speed Rail (Crewe to Manchester) Bill to try to stop this from happening and flag up his concerns. He presented the petition to a meeting of the High Speed Rail (Crewe - Manchester) Bill Select Committee meeting on Tuesday (June 27), reports Cheshire Live.

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He told the meeting he will have to relocate the business temporarily while construction work on this section of HS2 gets underway but he is considering relocating elsewhere permanently rather than returning to the site once construction is completed so as to ensure continuity with his business.

However, he said if relocation wasn't an option then he would be looking at returning to the site. The meeting also heard Mr Germain would be entitled to compensation for the loss of profits while unable to operate on site during that construction period.

The issue of the location for the autotransformer station (ATS) was discussed at the meeting, with the plans showing that it was to have