Families in two streets of a former mining village in Clackmannanshire have been told their homes will be demolished after ground movement forced their evacuation.
A total of 97 properties have been evacuated in Coalsnaughton, after the ground began to move three months ago. It continued to shift at 10mm a week, leaving affected residents homeless.
Demolition announced at resident meetings
Last night, meetings were held with residents, where officials from the local council and the Mining Remediation Authority (MRA) told them that 60 houses on two streets, Benbuck View and Dunmoss View, would have to be knocked down.
The BBC reports that homeowners will be offered compensation, however, there are fears over exactly how much they could receive. Over 250 residents in four streets in the former mining village were moved out of their properties after ground movement was discovered in May.
Historic mining work blamed
An eight-week probe by the MRA confirmed that the issue, which saw cracks appear in roads, paths, and homes, was related to historic mining work.
Resident Alan Cameron, 40, who is displaced by the incident, said his family had moved between 13 different hotels over a 12-week period. He said: "The trauma is absolutely unreal. Nobody, absolutely nobody, gets the trauma that you're going through as an individual and as a family trying to keep this together for everybody."
Simon Woodward, whose home is in Benbuck View, said: "All I know is that they're going to demolish our houses at some time, and some time they will give us a bit of money to try to buy another one - and that is the sum value of everything I know."
Government support promised
UK Energy Minister Michael Shanks promised support for those affected. He said: "This is a deeply challenging time for the families who have had their lives turned upside down. My thoughts are with those who have received extremely difficult news this week that their home is not safe to return to. I want to reassure these families again that no-one will be left to shoulder the burden alone."
In June, the MRA said there is up to 10mm of ground movement happening every week in the affected streets. In total, there has been 345mm of ground movement in Dunmoss View and 300mm in Benbuck View. But this does not include movement that occurred during the initial event back in May. Sensors have been fitted to some of the houses on the edge of the cordon.
