Nearly 100 homes have been evacuated in the former mining village of Coalsnaughton, Clackmannanshire, following reports of ground movement. Properties began being evacuated on 18 May, and an investigation has since been launched to determine the cause of the subsidence.
Evacuation Details
The local authority confirmed that an additional 28 properties in Nechtan Drive and nine properties in Langour were evacuated on Friday as a precautionary measure. This brings the total number of evacuated properties to 97 since the initial reports.
Aaron Anderson, a resident with three children including 11-year-old twins with autism, told BBC Scotland News that his family had been moved into an Airbnb in Grangemouth. He expressed gratitude to Kingdom Housing, which owns his property, for acting quickly to provide a temporary home that was “safe for my children.” However, he added that his family’s “stress levels were high.”
Official Statements
Nikki Bridle, chief executive of Clackmannanshire Council, stated: “Following ongoing investigations into ground movement in Coalsnaughton, a decision has been taken this afternoon to evacuate a further 28 properties in Nechtan Drive and nine properties in Langour as a precautionary measure. This brings the total number of evacuated properties to 97 since 18 May 2026. The evacuation is being carried out in a controlled manner and residents are being supported by council officers and partner agencies throughout the process. The priority of all local resilience partners continues to be the safety and welfare of everyone involved, and our officers remain in the local area to provide guidance and support to residents during what we appreciate is a worrying and uncertain time.”
Bridle added that specialist investigations by the Mining Remediation Authority are ongoing and are expected to take “some time” to complete. “We will continue to keep residents updated as further information becomes available,” she said.
Resident Experiences
On Thursday, the gas supply was disconnected for residents in Nechtan Drive as a precautionary measure due to ground movement. Margo Brown, who was evacuated from Dunmoss View on Wednesday, described the confusion: “You’re waiting about all day trying to find out what’s going to happen, then we got an email saying, no it’s OK, you don’t have to get out. Then 20 minutes later, ‘all out, everybody out’. Ten minutes to get out and that was us.” She was later allowed back with her husband and daughter to retrieve personal items.
Government Response
Scottish justice secretary Neil Gray met with Clackmannanshire council leader Ellen Forson and local MSP Keith Brown on Friday to discuss the situation. Gray said: “Investigations are being carried out by the Mining Remediation Authority to establish the source of the subsidence and we await its findings.”
