A giant sinkhole has appeared above HS2 tunnels in the Chilterns over the weekend.

The hole reportedly appeared on Saturday May 13 in Bazzards Field on the southwest side of Shardeloes Lake between Amersham and Little Missenden. 

It is around six meters wide and five meters deep according to HS2 contractor Align, who sent a letter to some residents near the site before it was fenced off.

Great Missenden Parish Councillor Catherine Bunting regularly walks in the area, which is near a public footpath and sits above the high speed railway’s Chiltern tunnel.  

She said: “Are we to expect these sinkholes along the line?”

“A big concern for me is the aquifer.

“The aquifer provides around 20 million people with water in the South East.

She cited concerns around two recent sinkhole in Ruislip and the impact on the nature, which Buckinghamshire is famous for.

“If it had been 50 meters further down, would the lake drain? What would happen to the ecology that relies on the river?

She wanted water and the surrounding nature to be treated with more respect.

“We shouldn’t just allow contractors in ‘gun ho’ to destroy and area that is such rich in nature. Much of the UK is not so lucky. 

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“It all seems haphazard. I’ve asked the HS2 to halt works, evaluate and look what safety measures they need to put in place. This isn’t something you can bury.

“Residents would like Bucks Council to ask HS2 the works until we’re satisfied that this drilling is safe and that the aquifer is safe,” she added.

Chesham and Amersham MP Sarah Green visited the lakeside on Sunday, which feeds into River Misbourne.

She said: “I attended the site earlier this afternoon and have spoken to residents and businesses local to it to understand their precise concerns. I am seeking full disclosure from the Environment Agency and HS2.”

A spokesperson for HS2 Ltd confirmed that "a ground movement has occurred within a field above the Chiltern tunnels.”

“Investigations are ongoing, but this is likely to be linked to pre-existing ground conditions above the tunnels. The site has been sealed off and there is no risk to the public,” they said.