On 25 September 2021, a serious subsidence incident involving 8 flats was reported in Saltcoats, Ayrshire, Scotland.
We worked closely with the emergency services and North Ayrshire Council to support the evacuation and conduct thorough investigations to determine the cause of the incident.
Records and on site investigations determined that unrecorded mining, dating back 130 years or more, as the cause of the subsidence.
Safety works being undertaken at Saltcoats
Damage to the properties was extensive and required demolition to prevent any risk of collapse and ensure public safety.
We supported residents by quickly securing them emergency accommodation before finding temporary housing where needed. From this first engagement, the role of the customer services team at the Coal Authority was to work with individuals and families to ensure they were able to recover from the incident and find replacement housing and accommodation suitable to their needs.
Site investigations were carried out in October 2021, followed by detailed ground investigation using 2 boreholes, and the affected properties, which couldn't be made safe, were demolished soon afterwards.
Drone photo of safety works being undertaken
Work to fill in and secure the collapse site were completed in autumn 2022, using a specialist grout material that fills and stabilises the collapsed ground.
To give additional reassurance to the wider community, we installed 24 rods with monitors and 63 monitoring pins on the site, which are designed to detect any movement. We also installed monitoring devices on nearby buildings to give peace of mind for those living around the affected area.
The site is now fenced and will be kept tidy while further monitoring is undertaken.
The cleared site after safety works have been undertaken
Julia Draycon, community and emergency response director at the Coal Authority, said:
Our investigations found that the incident was caused by a collapse of historical shallow unrecorded coal mine workings beneath the area.
We worked closely with the North Ayrshire Council to support residents who were directly affected, as well as keeping the wider community updated through meetings, letters and information packs.
As the full impact of the incident in Saltcoats became apparent, we purchased the affected properties at a credible market price and supported residents with finding new homes in the local area.
Additional support included updates on our progress, how to report other hazards, insurance help, plus advice on dealing with mortgage companies and lenders.
The cleared site after safety works have been undertaken
This type of incident is extremely rare in an urban area. However, the Coal Authority are on call 24/7 to respond to any mine hazard or risk.
It is important that when they do occur we are in a positon to help fix the problem and also make sure that those affected and the local community are reassured, supported and protected.
