DOZENS of Scottish families’ homes will have to be demolished after historic mining led to ground movements under their foundations, it is understood.
Residents of Coalsnaughton, in Clackmannanshire, were told on Thursday evening that 60 houses would need to be demolished due to ground subsidence, the BBC first reported.
In total, 97 homes were evacuated in May after ground movement sparked concerns about the safety of the buildings.
At a meeting with Clackmannanshire Council and the Mining Remediation Authority (MRA) on Thursday evening, residents were told that the 60 homes on Benbuck View and Dunmoss View would have to be demolished, with 46 already damaged beyond repair.
The further 37 homes in Langour and Nechtan Drive can be repaired but it could take a year, officials said.
Alan Cameron, the chair of the Coalsnaughton Evacuees Residents Group, told the BBC: "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.”
In July, UK energy minister Michael Shanks said that the cost of supporting the households affected by the ground movement in the former pit village could run into “tens of millions” of pounds.
Speaking to The National days after being evacuated, locals described seeing doorframes in their homes “crack”, with skirting boards coming away from walls and the road in one of the streets bulging.
On Friday, Carl Banton, the MRA chief operations director, said: "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.
"Dedicated support remains in place for affected households through named contacts, account managers and our local community liaison officer, with partners working together so support remains coordinated and practical.
"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."
