A resident evacuated from a former Clackmannanshire mining village said she “just wants to cry” and fears she may never return home.
Naiomi Stevenson is one of almost 100 residents who were told to leave their homes due to safety concerns after ground movement was first detected on May 18.
The Mining Remediation Authority (MRA) has been investigating the issue for eight weeks and has now confirmed that the movements are linked to historic mine shafts below.
While the UK Government says it will provide financial compensation, some residents in Clackmannanshire have been out of their homes since May, with many staying in nearby homes and student accommodation during that time.
‘It’s taken over everything’
Speaking to STV News, Naomi has said she has been left with uncertainty over whether she will ever return home, admitting she “doesn’t see a way out”.
Naiomi, who lives on the periphery of the affected area and was among the last residents to be evacuated, said the situation has had a significant impact on her mental health.
“I don’t know where I’m going to be on August 7″, she said.
STV News“I don’t see a way out, yet. It’s still all up in the air.
“I just want to cry. Yesterday I stayed in bed all day, and I’m not a stay-in-bed person. It’s overwhelming me. It’s really taken over everything.”
Naiomi’s home is one of eight homes that has been issued Dangerous Building Notices, official orders served on property owners by a local council.
She believes the situation affecting her property is different from the more severe ground movement seen elsewhere in the village.
“I know that in the street above, the impact for them has moved over a foot.
“Langour isn’t like that. Like I’ve said previously, there are some hairline cracks, things that can be fixed. My garden is as it should be, my roof’s what it should be, but I’ve been served a dangerous building order based on no data.
“My experience from day one of this is that Clackmannanshire Council are not dealing with it properly.
“On the personal impact of that, they offered me hotel accommodation, which isn’t suitable for my dogs and student accommodation, which isn’t suitable for my dogs. So we’ve been left to sort things for ourselves.
“And I don’t think what’s going on just now is about abrasiveness; they just want to get a feeling about how people are coping at this moment in time.
“Everything is still up in the air. I want to go home. I really do. If I could go home just now, I would, and let life go back to normal, but unfortunately, we’re not in that situation.”
STV NewsAll evacuated residents will also be protected by the law, with the UK Government meeting the costs of making homes safe.
The MRA has confirmed households will find out the outcome of their property and the specific options available to them in the coming weeks and months, depending on ongoing investigations.
“I honestly don’t know, but it will be a big job because we’re dealing with 97 households here”, energy minister Michael Shanks said while visiting the site on Monday.
“This has obviously been an extremely difficult situation for families over the past few months, and I want to reassure all those affected that no one will be left to shoulder the burden alone.”
Residents are being invited to a meeting on Tuesday about the next steps.
Clackmannanshire South Councillor Ellen Forson said: “It’s been a long eight weeks, particularly for the residents who have been impacted, and today’s report and announcement give them clarity.
“It will hopefully give us a way forward to provide some reassurance to residents about what happens next.”
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