be warned

 

A collapse at Old Stocks Court could happen at any time. The site could cost millions to fix.

field road cost >£4 million to fix

 

“The mine tunnel roofs vary in depth from about 7.5m to 11m below ground level. The tunnel floors are typically around 13m to 14m below ground level. Their width is typically 3m to 4m. The condition of the mine was found to be poor, with many areas of the roof having collapsed. The latter process is thought to be continuing, at a gradually increasing pace.” Excerpt from Council papers.

The Council activated an emergency plan and evacuated TWO HUNDRED people from the area. 

Peter Brett Associates recommended that ground stabilisation for the area of Field Road immediately affected by the subsidence and the old chalk mine workings, should be carried out by grouting. They have advised that grouting techniques represent the most suitable and economical methods of solving chalk mine subsidence problems. Structural underpinning techniques are not feasible given the scale of the problem and hazardous nature of the ground conditions.

“50% will also be considered if the Secretary of State for the DETR makes an Order under Section 1 of the Derelict Land Act 1982 designating the area within which Field Road as a derelict land clearance area. English Partnerships met DETR on 11 September 2000 to request the Order be promoted. They have agreed to do so and have indicated that the drafting and laying it before Parliament”.  AFTER deciding to step in RBC secured grant and Government funding. WBC apparently didn’t even apply.

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OFFICIAL disaster

Reading Borough Council realised Field Road was an Official Disaster that they had a Duty to step in and fix.   Old Stocks Court, a very similar site, received no assistance from WBC.

West Berks useless

Despite CEO involvement WBC did nothing to help Residents at Old Stocks Court,  beyond Commissioning an Expert Report stating a survey should be done (without ordering it). Why is their Duty different to RBC’s ? 

trustees aware

The Trustees (Residents) at Old Stocks Court referred to Field Road in discussion with WBC AND continue to ignore the expert advice that surveying Old Stocks Court IS needed.

 

WBC FAILURES

WBC state they had no duty to “police” Clancy and check piling data showing collapses during construction and or that adequate drains were installed. Had WBC done better Clancy might perhaps have had to remediate the site properly before completion of the build. 

LEGAL IMPLICATIONS for THE council

“It is considered that the Council is not legally liable for the cause or results of the subsidence but section 138 of the Local Government Act 1972 gives local authorities the power to incur such expenditure if it considers it necessary to avert, alleviate or eradicate the effects or potential effects of an emergency or disaster, such as the event in Field Road.” Exert from RBC funding document.

It seems that the Residents of Old Stocks Court fell foul of the dreaded Postcode lottery where one Council was prepared to do the right thing but West Berkshire Council were not. WBC have not provided any reason for why they didn’t take responsibility and or force OSCM/Residents to do a Survey

Full funding document

West berkshire Council’s duty

There seems little doubt that approving Clancy’s construction of Old Stocks Court was not WBC’s finest hour.  There are so many things WBC could have and perhaps should have done differently that would have prevented the crown holes. e.g. insisted on seeing the piling data and demanding more surveys/remediation prior to construction; and or directing surface water into the mains. 

What is clear is that WBC’s own expert told them that further collapses could happen at any time. The experts even pointed out which houses are most at risk.   Instead the Council made the report confidential, preventing Stantec from putting the information in the National Database that most people use when buying houses.  i.e. the Council hid the report from the public putting new buyers at risk.  

contact THE COUNCIL

nuisance

Despite there having been TWO collapses WBC refuses to issue a Statutory Notice to the land owners to repair the drains thought to be contributing to the collapses and or do the survey THEIR EXPERT says needs to be done

chalk mines can be massive

these mines are known to be 3-5m wide and around 3 m in height – and were built to accommodate a horse and cart.  

potential to cause blight

Dr Clive Edmunds wrote that future collapses at Old Stocks Court have the potential to cause blight to the properties there, in much the same way as  happened at Field Road. 

Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt.

Purchase

 

FEAR of collapse

Victorian brickmaker responsible for Field Road collapse

The collapse of an old underground chalk mine in 2000 caused two homes to collapse and prompted the blight on the area which meant people could not sell or insure their homes – and some were even afraid to live in the

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shocking photos

Shocking photos reveal scale of damage after mine collapse in Reading 18 years ago

The collapse led to two homes in the road falling into a 15ft deep crater and caused huge damage to the street in Reading, Berkshire.

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RICS danger

An increase in cases of new houses being damaged by the collapse of old mine workings is a stark warning to developers and land purchasers to protect themselves from underground dangers, writes Tom Backhouse

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