New research has outlined the full extent of the mining activities that continue to mean there are huge holes in the ground beneath Bristol, according to the mining consultant at Groundsure
There are over 170,000 homes in the Bristol area that are at risk of ground movement due to disused mine shafts, a leading environmental search authority has warned.
And experts at Groundsure have called for more research and surveying to be done to better inform home owners and businesses about the risks of sink holes and cavities beneath buildings across the city.
New research has outlined the full extent of the mining activities that continue to mean there are huge holes in the ground beneath Bristol, according to Tom Harvey-James, the mining consultant at Groundsure.
Mr Harvey-James said it was not just coal mining activity from centuries ago that could be a problem for home-owners in Bristol, non coal mining like the kind of sandstone mining under Redcliffe, could be just as much a problem.
A new report by Groundsure’s Celia Candebat warned that the full extent of the mineworks, shafts and caverns that are known locally as Redcliffe Caves meant Redcliffe was ‘a high risk’, and have ‘historically slipped under the radar’, with much of the focus of surveying in Bristol concentrating on old coal mines.
The latest case study has identified over 170,000 properties in Bristol that are potentially at risk of ground movement, said Mr Harvey-James. There are currently 82 reported ground collapses in the region, and with 243 mines, pits and quarries recorded in the area, this number is predicted to increase.
Sandstone mining risk affects many Bristol homes and conveyancers must be alert to this for their clients, he said.
When buying a home in Bristol, it is crucial to assess the historic mining activity and have a comprehensive understanding of mineral extraction in the area. Groundsure is committed to not only spotting hazards but finding feasible solutions for the home buyer, he added.
Much work has been done to track and chart the old coal mines that once covered the Bristol area, with deep underground mines in areas like Ashton, Bedminster and Southville in South Bristol, with seams covering most of east Bristol, from Easton to Oldland, as far north as Mangotsfield, Soundwell, Kingswood, Yate and Coalpit Heath in South Gloucestershire.
