Almost 100 homes evacuated in Scottish village after reports of ground movement

Nearly 100 homes have been evacuated following reports of ground movement in a former mining village in Clackmannanshire.Properties began being evacuated on 18 May and an investigation has since been launched into the cause in Coalsnaughton.The local authority said another 28 properties in Nechtan Drive and nine properties in Langour were evacuated on Friday as a precaution.Aaron Anderson, who has three children including 11-year-old twins with autism, told BBC Scotland News his family ha been moved into an Airbnb in Grangemouth.He said he was thankful to Kingdom Housing, which owns his property, for acting quickly to provide a temporary home that was “safe for my children”.He added his family’s “stress levels were high”.Nikki Bridle, chief executive of Clackmannanshire-council" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="136824" data-entity-type="organization">Clackmannanshire council, said: “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.”Residents said they were given 10 minutes to leave their homes amid ground movement fears. Photograph: UNPIXS/MRABridle added that specialist investigations being undertaken 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.On Thursday, the gas supply was disconnected for residents in Nechtan Drive as a precautionary measure due to ground movement in the area, the local council said.Margo Brown was among those who were evacuated from Dunmoss View on Wednesday before being allowed back with her husband and daughter to retrieve personal items on Thursday.She told the BBC: “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.”Scottish justice secretary Neil Gray met with Clackmannanshire-council" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="136824" data-entity-type="organization">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.”