Plans for an enormous viaduct that will slice across Solihull's countryside has been met with a mixture of resignation and fury from local residents.

Last month HS2 issued pictures of a 425-metre long viaduct that will go through Balsall Common.

HS2 said the viaduct has been designed to minimise flood risk and will be integrated into the landscape to give pedestrians maximum visibility.

It also said that architects had taken into account the local ecology and wildlife habitats.

But residents told the local democracy reporting services that woodland has been felled, wild birds driven out, and hedgerows decimated.

Husband and wife John and Michele Bryant at the Railway Inn pub told of the "pure destruction" of the countryside near their home in Burton Green.

Michele said: "I call them chainsaw happy. It's like scorched earth."

Husband and wife John and Michele Bryant have been locked in an ongoing tustle with HS2 (image via Naomi DeSouza)

The couple, who have lived in their home for four years, added that glassware in their cupboards often rattles with all the ongoing work.

John added: "It is extremely annoying. Where the woods were, it was beautiful. We knew it was coming, but we didn't realise just how bad it would be.

"During the heatwave, the site was like a dustbowl. Then cool air would blow over the earth and it felt like a blow heater."

The couple said they had been back and forth with HS2 about the work taking place.

A few doors down from the pub 82-year-old Marcia Bruffin told the LDRS: "You're too late! Do you hear that? That's a crane, I can see them from my windows. Some people had their houses taken off them, some of us had compensation – we couldn't do anything about it.

"I fought for a very long time to stop HS2, for 30 years I've known about it."

After years of struggle, the pensioner added that she was resigned to her situation.

"The garden is the only thing I've got. I can't fight on my own, I'm too little," she said.

'We couldn't do anything about it' says 82-year-old Marcia Bruffin (image by Naomi DeSouza)

Marcia and other residents all admitted to having accepted compensation from HS2. Meanwhile, John and Michele said their house was fitted with triple glazing at the expense of the high-speed rail company.

Cllr Diane Howell, cabinet member for communities and leisure at Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council said in July: "To date, we have been very disappointed with the current plans. 

"I accept this will inevitably be a large structure but given its prominence, I would have hoped for a more sensitive interpretation. One thing that is important to the community is minimising the hard concrete – Berkswell Parish Council has been lobbying for some years for transparent noise barriers, so it was particularly disappointing that this has not been referenced.

"I asked if the design would be reworked following public comments and whether the new design would then be put back out to public engagement and Balfour Beatty Vinci advised that this would happen – I do hope it does as we want as a community to work with them to make this structure as acceptable as possible."

In response to the concerns from locals HS2 said it was "committed to engaging with communities affected by the building of the new railway, and to minimising impacts wherever possible".

HS2 works in Balsall Common (Image via Naomi DeSouza)

It added: "There has been minimal vegetation clearance in this area, and new planting around the Balsall Common Viaduct has been carefully designed to integrate the structure into the local landscape.

"There will be new woodland planting, including an area north of Truggist Lane to create screening of the railway.

"We will also create new wetlands and ponds and are looking at the potential to connect public pathways to the Kenilworth Greenway.

"We are currently reviewing feedback on the design of the Balsall Common viaduct from our recent community events, attended by over 200 local people, before sharing the final designs."

HS2 has also lodged an appeal after plans to use the village centre as a major HGV haul route were blocked.