Families in a former mining village say they are devastated after learning their homes may be torn down because of fears the buildings could eventually collapse.
A total of 97 properties in Coalsnaughton, Clackmannanshire, were evacuated on safety grounds in May after cracks began appearing in homes, roads, footpaths and gardens.
The Mining Remediation Authority (MRA) has confirmed that the ground movement was linked to historic mining activity beneath the area.
Following an investigation, officials concluded that properties on Benbuck View and Dunmoss View have suffered “damage and risk severity beyond the point of rehabilitation”, prompting the MRA to propose buying the homes and demolishing them.
Homes in areas judged to be less severely affected are expected to undergo repairs once work to stabilise the ground has been completed.
The UK Government has said it will cover the cost of the response to the Coalsnaughton incident, which has impacted 97 households.
Keith Brown, the MSP for Clackmannanshire and Dunblane, was briefed by the MRA before residents were updated at a meeting on Thursday evening, and said the news would be a “huge wrench” for homeowners.
Nearly 100 homes in Coalsnaughton, Clackmannanshire, were evacuated in May after cracks appeared in properties, roads, paths and gardens
Residents have been left devastated after being told the homes in two streets in the former mining village will have to be demolished amid fears they could collapse
Experts have said the ground is continuing to move at a rate of around 2mm a week. Pictured: One of the cracks that appeared in the roads around the village
He told BBC Radio Scotland’s Breakfast programme: ‘The MRA is legally obliged to provide support and assistance to the homeowners.
‘And what they’re saying is essentially, of the four streets which have been affected, the two in the middle are going to have to be completely torn down.
‘Other work will be required at the top and the bottom, but the two streets in the middle will have to come down.
‘And just in terms of personal individuals, we have people for whom this is absolutely devastating. For example, one woman that I’m aware of had only moved there within the last year.
‘These homes have got stunning views across the valley towards the Ochil hills. This was her, if you like, forever home, and she had just got her garden shaded, the kitchens and so on, and then she’s had to move out.
‘Another gentleman has a memorial to his deceased wife in his garden.
‘So this is a huge wrench for these individuals, and although it may not be unexpected, this will be devastating to them.’
Experts have said the ground is continuing to move at a rate of around 2mm a week towards an ‘epicentre’.
A report also confirmed that since 2018, ground levels had sunk by almost 2ft and that ‘a large area in the centre of the site has subsided by up to 0.6m’.
Simon Woodward, 67, who has lived in his home for 17 years, said some residents at the meeting were in tears, but the news was not unexpected.
He told the BBC: ‘I sort of knew it was coming. You can just tell. I mean, the place just looks like the dark side of the moon at the moment, it’s holes everywhere.’
Mr Woodward said nothing would compensate him for losing the home where he and his wife planned to spend their retirement.
He said: ‘We’ve put our heart and soul into that house for our retirement. We’ve done everything in that house.
‘We’ve spent £30,000 on it to make it as best as we can for our retirement. That’s gone.’
Carl Banton, chief operations director for the Mining Remediation Authority, said on Friday: ‘We have completed a programme of assessment work, including structural engineering assessments, ground investigations and an appraisal of the options available to make the area safe.
‘This has given us a clearer picture of the scale of damage and the likely next steps for each affected area and property.
‘The assessments show that each street affected is experiencing ground movement and property damage in different ways and to different levels.
‘The most serious impacts remain on Benbuck View and Dunmoss View, where the homes have been assessed with damage and risk severity beyond the point of rehabilitation.
‘Subject to the necessary approvals, our proposed approach is to acquire and demolish the properties on those streets.
‘We know this is very difficult news for residents and their families. It is not a conclusion we have reached lightly, but it reflects the level of damage, the work that would be needed to make the ground safe, and the importance of giving people a clear, safe and practical route forward.
‘In other affected areas, the position is different. At Langour, where movement has been more limited, repairs are expected to follow once ground stabilisation has taken place.
‘Further stabilisation is also planned near Nechtan Drive, alongside road repairs on The Glen.’
A scene from the evacuation of Coalsnaughton in May, when the cracks were first noticed
He said that dedicated support remains in place for affected households and that partners are working together so that support remains co-ordinated and practical.
Mr Banton added: ‘We will continue to approach this work with care, clarity and respect, making sure those most affected hear important information directly and have the opportunity to discuss their own circumstances.’
The Scottish Government in June pledged £1 million of additional cash to help Clackmannanshire Council cope with the ‘exceptional and unforeseen event’.
Nikki Bridle, chief executive of Clackmannanshire Council, said: ‘My thoughts continue to be with all the residents affected by this unprecedented incident.
‘Today my heart goes out to those who have now heard their homes are beyond repair and that they will not be able to return to them.
‘While this news offers some clarity to those residents, who can perhaps now begin to move forward with a plan, I appreciate it remains a deeply unsettling and worrying time.
‘We will continue to work with partners, including the MRA who have assumed responsibility for the remediation process, as we move deeper into the recovery phase of the incident, and we will continue to support our Coalsnaughton residents as they navigate the next steps.’
The MRA said a quarter of British homes sit on or near former coalfields, but for ‘the vast majority’ the land remained ‘stable and safe’.
