Combe Down Stone Mines Land Stabilisation Project
Homepage & Project Updates
Welcome
The Combe Down Stone Mines Project is a
major project by Bath & North East Somerset Council to
stabilise abandoned limestone mine workings in Combe Down and
preserve the Health & Safety of the area. The aim of the
Project is to remove the current threat to life and property of
those living, working in and travelling through the Combe Down
area.
In doing this, the Project will ensure that the internationally
recognised heritage, wildlife and environmental properties of the
area are conserved for future generations.
This website provides further information on project
progress and environmental issues related to the Project. If your
questions are not answered then you can contact the Project Team by
email, telephone or in person at the Information Centre.
We hope that you enjoy using this website and will find the
information useful. If however, you have any suggestions on how we
could improve our website, please email the Project Team on
stone_mines@bathnes.gov.uk
Works Progress 2008
Since the last newsletter, the project has now
progressed well. As of September
427,584m3 of concrete has been poured,
which equates to 93% of the total forecast concrete volume for the
project. 14,695m of roadway has now been constructed which equates
to 99%.
See below for Stabilisation Area Status drawing.
Springfield Quarry
Since our last
newsletter works to stabilise the mine at Springfield Quarry have
commenced and are progressing well.
Hydrogeology Works
Hydrogeology testing has recently begun following the infilling of
most of the mine workings. A water bowser is used to pour water
through a series of test boreholes to imitate the infiltration of
rainfall into the soil and rock horizons above the stabilised
areas. The aim of this test work is to understand the way in which
the soil and the rock both hold and transmit water. This will
enable the engineers to develop proposals to mitigate any increased
risk of flooding.
Archaeology
A planning application (08/00977/REG03) was approved that
recognised there is no safe way to leave open the areas of
archaeological interest within the mine and protect the land above.
This approval gave permission for these areas to be infilled with
foamed concrete and infilling is almost complete.
The archaeology has been recorded to the highest level with
methods including time-lapse photography and digital fly-throughs.
These will be published and included as part of the interpretation
at the end of the scheme.
The archaeology team are now assessing all finds and recorded
data and are also interested in any related items that the public
many have. Should you have any artefacts that you believe may be of
interest to the archaeologists for recording or photographing,
please contact the Project Team.
Property Condition
Surveys
Final Property Condition
Surveys are now underway in those areas where works are complete.
White Young Green will make contact with each landowner at the time
required. Should you own a garage in the village which is in a
separate location to your residence, please inform WYG as all
buildings will require a close out survey.
Verification / Topping up
As part of the process of completion of the concrete bulk infill
into the stabilisation areas, surface verification drilling is
required to establish that the concrete has reached the
required level within the mine. This will require drilling
throughout the village in gardens, drives and roads alike. Should a
void be identified from the drilling works, surface topping up will
take place.
The project is now at the stage where this verification of the
infill is increasing. We will therefore need to gain access to
gardens and drives more frequently. It is important to the project
programme that this can be concluded quickly to allow works to
progress and we trust we can count on your continued cooperation
with this.
Should we require access for such drilling works, we will send
you a letter in advance of the works, and then make contact by
telephone to arrange an appointment for the contractor and engineer
to visit prior to drilling.
News Update
Church Road now Open
Church Road is now OPEN between the Belmont Road and Tyning
Road junctions.
We are awaiting the results of underground works to determine
whether a closure of the section of Church Road between Tyning Road
and Monkton Combe Pre-Prep School will be needed.
Dvd's for sale
During the underground visits at the beginning of the
Project, a dvd was shown giving a background to the Land
Stabilisation Project and the mines at Combe Down. Images are shown
of miners working underground and information is given on the
various methods of stabilisation. The DVD lasts around 10 minutes
and was commissioned by the national regeneration agency, English
Partnerships. Should you wish to purchase a copy, please send a
cheque for £5 made payable to Bath & North East Somerset
Council to 10 Palace Yard Mews, Bath, BA1 2NH
