Key facts
- Two streets in Coalsnaughton, Benbuck View and Dunmoss View, will be demolished due to mining subsidence.
- A total of 97 properties have been evacuated since May.
- The Mining Remediation Authority (MRA) confirmed the damage is beyond repair.
- Remediation and stabilization work is planned for two other streets, Nechtan Drive and Langour.
- Homeowners will receive compensation payments.
Residents of two streets in the former mining village of Coalsnaughton, Clackmannanshire, have been told their homes will be demolished due to severe ground movement. Meetings were held with residents on Thursday evening, where officials from the local council and the Mining Remediation Authority (MRA) informed them that 60 houses on Benbuck View and Dunmoss View would be knocked down.
An eight-week investigation by the MRA confirmed that the land instability, which caused cracks in roads, paths, and homes, is related to historical mining work. The MRA stated that detailed assessments revealed damage and risk severity beyond the point of rehabilitation on these two streets. Homeowners will be offered compensation payments, though some expressed uncertainty about the amounts.
Remediation work will be carried out on two other affected streets, Nechtan Drive and Langour, to make them safe. The ground movement is considered less serious in these areas, with repairs expected after ground stabilization. One resident indicated that stabilization and repair work could take about 12 months.
Some residents described the news as devastating, with one individual expressing heartbreak at having to tell their young children they would not return to their homes. Others, like Benbuck View resident Simon Woodward, stated the outcome was not entirely unexpected, noting the visible damage to the area. The UK Government has stated it will cover the costs of the response to the incident.