‘Fishy odor’ plaguing ‘sought-after village – and why riddle could also be solved
Fuming locals in Water Orton have told how the beleagured HS2 rail project has turned their pretty village into a hellish building site – and left it stinking of fish
Baffled residents in a “sought-after” village have been offered hope that the riddle of a “fishy smell” plaguing the area may have been solved.
Water Orton in North Warwickshire has been haunted by the pong for months, forcing locals to keep their windows shut.
Grandmother Gill Smith said: “The smell’s horrible, it’s like fish and some days you can’t even put the washing out. You can’t even open your windows, the smell is that bad and it’s been going on for months.”
The mystery smell is thought to be linked to the major construction work in the village for the controversial HS2 rail scheme, reports Birmingham Live.
Trains on the line will not stop in the village, but the long-term disruption has forced so many people to move away that its primary school plans to reduce capacity.
Gill added: “HS2 has had a big impact on people and I think it’s impacted people’s mental health in the village. It’s got worse as the years have gone on and I think there’s more to come. The smell has to be sorted out.”
Helen Carlill called the frequent smell around the village ‘absolutely horrible’ and said she had to clean her car weekly because of dust.
She said: “It’s been awful. The road closures, the dust, the smell. I must admit the HS2 workers have been quite friendly. But it’s had an impact. My children have had to move schools and that’s been a big change.
“The impact seems to be getting bigger and bigger. HS2 has definitely made the village worse. You’re constantly having to clean dust on your windows and car. I’m cleaning my car every week at the moment because of it.
“But the fish smell is absolutely horrible. You don’t know how safe it is so you worry about your children.”
North Warwickshire and Bedworth Labour MP Rachel Taylor said she continued to receive a ‘high volume’ of cases from constituents ‘affected by dust, foul odours, traffic issues and poor service’.
In November, she raised the issue in Parliament and said the smell was just one of the issues residents were contending with.
HS2 said the stench was “linked to the use of lime to stabilise material excavated from the Bromford tunnels and is not hazardous”.
A spokesperson said: “We have thoroughly investigated reports of an odour in Water Orton which is linked to the use of lime to stabilise material excavated from the Bromford tunnels and is not hazardous.
“Lime stabilisation is a common technique in the construction industry and allows us to reuse the material elsewhere on the project, reducing cost and avoiding extra lorries on local roads.
“Excavation of the Bromford tunnels was completed last month and we’re now taking steps that will help to reduce or eliminate the smell from the material stockpiles.”
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