Plans to prevent another quarry collapse in Mansfield revealed

Mansfield District Council has outlined plans to reinforce the Berry Hill quarry face after a major landslide last year forced residents to leave their homes.

More than 30 properties on Bank End Close and Stone Bank were evacuated following the collapse on November 7, after a month’s worth of rainfall caused the cliff-face to fall into peoples’ gardens.

Almost three months on, residents are now back in their properties and the council, alongside its geological partner Fairhurst, are working on-site to ensure it is not repeated.

Paul McMillan, project director for Fairhurst, outlined some of the plans for the site.

He said: “The proposed works will address the risk from future small and large scale failure to protect residents and homes.

“The works will take the form of a high-strength mesh that will be fixed to the rock slopes with 8m long steel anchors drilled into the rock. There will also be a high-strength toe fence that will provide additional protection.

“This type of approach is tried and tested and commonly used to deal with slope instability, and as such is considered the optimum solution for Berry Hill.”

The scheme requires the full support of residents to allow for buffer zones, held in their land titles and in some cases some small sections of garden land to be gifted to the council so that works and long-term maintenance can take place.

Mike Robinson, strategic director at the council, said: “Ownership of the cliff-face and surrounding land has been very ambiguous in the past.

“However, since the landslip, the council has reviewed its legal position and taken responsibility for the cliff face and cliff top surrounding Bank End Close and Stone Bank.

“We are working with residents and landlords to move the project forward and make the area safe for the long-term.

“We’d like to thank residents for their continued patience and understanding.”

The council has asked the government for additional support and continues to have discussions with the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government.