Surrey sinkhole filled eight months on - but villagers face more disruption

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"Eight months on from the sudden appearance of a sinkhole in Godstone, residents are left facing more disruption. Despite the 20-metre hole now being filled, Surrey County Council is planning on drilling holes into the High Street - where residents were evacuated from in February - before the road can fully reopen. After an investigation confirmed there was a network of Victorian sand-mining tunnels 10 metres below the surface, stabilisation works now need to be carried out to prevent the issue from happening again."

Donations enable on-the-ground journalism covering reproductive rights, climate change, and Big Tech while maintaining free access by avoiding paywalls and relying on reader support. Funding allows reporters to investigate financial networks, produce documentaries, and send journalists to interview multiple perspectives. A local crisis began eight months ago when a sinkhole opened in Godstone, Surrey; the 20-metre hole has been filled but High Street drilling is planned before a full reopening. Investigations revealed Victorian sand-mining tunnels about 10 metres below the surface, prompting stabilisation works and tests on a water main to determine the collapse cause. Up to 30 homes were evacuated; most returned by late March and the final homeowner returned at the end of September. Locals said the response lacked priority during the wait.

Read at www.independent.co.uk