Concerns have been raised after a hole appeared in a road in an area of a Cornish town which has a history of subsidence caused by old mine shafts opening up.
Jordan Rowse, vice-chairman of Cornwall Council, has described the situation as “worrying”.
The councillor, who represents the Bethel and Holmbush areas of St Austell, notified the council’s highways team last week that Bucklers Lane in the town was subsiding. The situation has worsened in the last few days when the road surface gave way and a hole appeared.
The hole is fenced off on Bucklers Lane in St Austell (Pic: Jordan Rowse)
Cllr Rowse said: “This is a worrying situation, but one that is being monitored closely. It’s not the first time this has happened but when it does happen we need to ensure we act fast.
"I have been speaking to the team at highways on a regular basis and I have been assured this issue is in hand and a team will be out to sort it. In the meantime I would urge road users, walkers and cyclists to go careful when passing.”
On his Facebook page, he added: “We all know the history of the area with subsidence and shafts, etc.”
The hole which has appeared on Bucklers Lane in St Austell (Pic: Jordan Rowse)
Only on Monday the area’s infamous history of mine-related subsidence was raised at a planning committee meeting where a proposal to build 50 homes on ‘green buffer’ land between Aspen Drive and Boscoppa Road was refused.
Councillors were reminded of a tragic incident in the 1990s when a resident died when a mineshaft opened up on their property in the Boscoppa area.
Clare Edwards, representing many residents who opposed the plan, said: “The area is very heavily mined. Bishop Bronescombe School was to be built on the field but was denied by the county council due to safety concerns. My home, adjacent to the site, currently sits on stilts after a 18ft mining-related hole appeared beneath it.
“Information from mining reports indicates at least two other identified shafts on properties adjacent to the field. We are terrified that should this application be approved and the land be disturbed in the field it could damage our properties and we would be unprotected if there was damage to gardens or access. Insurance is slim comfort given the tragic fatal mining incident which occurred on Boscoppa Road, just around the corner, in the ’90s.”
The council has verified it has a works team scheduled to excavate the area next week to identify the cause of the subsidence on Bucklers Lane.
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