Shocking pictures show HUGE cracks in driveways & gardens after heavy rain ’caused by newbuild estate landslip’
SHOCKING pictures show huge cracks in driveways and gardens after a major landslip believed to have been caused by work on a new estate.
The damage – which has seen gardens sink by up to 3ft – is thought to have been caused by powerful vibrations coming from diggers at the nearby development.
SWNSHuge cracks have appeared in people’s driveways on George Street in Sutton, Nottinghamshire[/caption]
SWNSGardens have dipped by up to 3ft[/caption]
SWNSResidents are furious, with the works having been temporarily halted[/caption]
SWNSThe red circle shows Susan Tighe’s home, with the green circle showing the landslip[/caption]
Construction has been temporarily halted as investigations are carried out into the building work in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, which developers are blaming on “heavy rain”.
George Street resident Susan Tighe, 81, says a large area of her lawn and driveway has sunk into the ground.
She said: “It was about two months ago it started, they’re just doing the groundwork at the moment.
“You can’t see anything and you can’t go on the site. We’re high up and the fields lower down. We think they’ve taken some of the soil away.
“We think it’s the vibration of the machinery that’s caused the problems.
“The vibration of the machinery has shaken the earth around the garden.
“I could just see a crack in the ground. It wouldn’t stop.
“It’s a civil engineering job. If they don’t do anything about it, it’ll fall in the field.”
Linda Jackson, 74, who lives on the street with her husband Richard, 76, said: “Our concern is because they’ve dug away the bank and left a 15ft drop from our garden, we’re concerned that the same thing will happen to us and our lawn will fall away.
“Apparently they’re going to build a retaining wall but no one has been here to communicate that with us. We just pick bits up here and there.
“Our garden could slip away. It’s a significant drop. When I walked down there I couldn’t believe it.
“We were overlooking the field but now we’re overlooking a building site.
“We don’t have a right to a view, but we have a right to know what’s going on.
“What I would particularly like is some assurance as to what’s happening.
“We’ve been living here since they were built 50 years ago and nothing like this has ever happened before.
“Most of the people around here are retired. We’ve had our garden landscaped, so if it disappeared into the field it would be very upsetting.
“We’ve had a lot of rain but that hasn’t caused the issue before.
“The noise and the dust is incredible.
“I can’t put white sheets outside because the air is full of dust. It’s just ‘bang bang’ all the time.”
What are my rights if my home is damaged in a landslip?
Homeowners can claim the cost of repairing their property in light of subsidence damage, but beware: not all insurers cover it.
Most buildings insurance policies will cover a property if it’s not suffered from such damage before, however some won’t.
This is due to how expensive the cost of repairing subsidence damage is.
An estimate from money.co.uk suggests the bill for underpinning a property is likely to be up to £2,600 per square metre.
You may have to seek out a specialist policy.
The comparison site adds: “If your home is damaged by subsidence, heave or landslip, you can claim to cover the cost of the repair up to the sum insured under the buildings cover of your policy.
“Most policies also cover any damage to things like solid floor slabs, outdoor swimming pools, patios, garden walls, footpaths and driveways.”
People living in nearby Norwood Close have also reported damage to their homes.
John Whitehead, 70, said: “We’re really concerned because they have dug 20 feet down at the bottom of our garden and we are extremely worried it might happen to us next.
“The builders were digging last week and my wall clock was vibrating, so I’m worried it might have damaged my house.”
A spokesperson for Ashberry Homes, a part of Bellway, said: “Ashberry Homes has been made aware that there was some earth movement at the western boundary of the Sutton-in-Ashfield site over the weekend.
“Some of this movement has been identified as historic, while other parts have been identified as occurring more recently within the site boundary.
“We have investigated the root cause of the issue and determined that heavy rain over the weekend has exacerbated this problem.
“We have now put temporary measures in place to restrict any further movement and planned works to the area in question will be starting imminently to provide a permanent retaining structure along this boundary.
“We have had meetings with contractors and the resident, and have been investigating the cause of the problem further and how best to remediate it.”
The Sun has contacted Ashberry Homes for further comment.
SWNSThe developers say the landslip was caused by heavy rain[/caption]
SWNSOne resident said their wall was vibrating as workers were digging[/caption]
SWNSThe developers say further investigation are underway[/caption]
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