If we asked you to list some of the challenges facing property developers today, you probably wouldn’t need to spend much time thinking about it. From a complex planning system to rising build costs and legislative uncertainties, there’s plenty that come straight to mind.
But for some areas in England, Scotland and Wales, the biggest blocker to a successful development project is actually what lies beneath the surface - and yes, we do mean that literally.
The last deep coal mine in the UK was closed in 2015, but the legacy of coal mining still haunts house builders today. An entire network of mine entries, shallow coal workings and previous surface mining sites still exist - and that means a lot of unstable ground and potential surface level risks.
For developers, understanding the impact of historic coal mining on your potential site isn’t just about safety, it’s about avoiding costly surprises that could put a stop to your project entirely.
That’s where LandInsight’s Coal Mining layer comes in. With data pulled directly from the Mining Remediation Authority (previously known as the Coal Authority), it’s designed to give you as much visibility as possible, as early as possible.
Coal mining's hidden legacy
When we talk about coal mining, it can feel a little like one of those conversation topics that lead to the young people in the room silently calculating just how old you really are. And it’s a fair point - for many areas across the UK mining activity ceased decades ago, but its impact is very much a present-day issue.
A cornerstone of the UK’s history? Sure. But, it has left behind a complex legacy of underground workings running over long distances, mine entries and unstable land (sometimes called subsidence). All in all, the ghosts of coal mining past can present a whole host of expensive problems for property developers.
A high-risk reality for Developers
The Mining Remediation Authority has designated Development High Risk Areas. According to the official definition, these are areas which are potentially unstable or contain a degree of risk to the surface as a result of historic coal mining operations.
This includes the likes of mine entries, shallow coal workings (both recorded and probable), recorded coal mining related hazards, recorded mine gas sites, fissures and break-lines, and previous surface mining sites. Naturally, any proposal for new development in these areas would need to demonstrate that the project is safe, stable and takes into account all former coal mining activities.
Most developments in these areas need to submit a Coal Mining Risk Assessment alongside their planning applications, making it a legal - and logistical - hurdle that developers can’t ignore.
We’ve done some digging of our own and found that 14% of all sites saved in LandInsight are in coal mining areas, and that puts our customers at risk of increased build costs, lengthy delays to project timelines, and even the possibility of having to abandon their site altogether.
How LandInsight can help
Enter LandInsight’s Coal Mining layer, designed to help you navigate the complexities of building in areas impacted by historic coal mining.
Our Coal Mining layer is made up of six key datasets, pulled directly from the Mining Remediation Authority. These are:
- Development High Risk Areas: Enables you to identify zones where a Coal Mining Risk Assessment is required
- Mine Entries: Helps you view locations of known mine entries and any recorded treatment details
- Past Shallow Coal Mining Workings: Provides information on the spatial distribution of potential hazards from past underground shallow coal mining
- Probable Shallow Coal Mining Workings: Like the past shallow coal mining workings data,but focused on the locations of probable underground workings where no recorded plans exist
- Surface Mining Areas: Indicates areas of historic or ongoing surface coal mining, also known as opencast mining
With this layer, you’ll have the ability to overlay key coal mining information onto your chosen search location and quickly see if a site is positioned in a high-risk area. That means you can make critical decisions about whether or not to move ahead with a site, without lengthy waiting times for specialist reports.
It’s important to note that due to Mining Remediation Authority licencing restrictions, we can only display this data at a zoom level of 14 or lower, and for site-specific assessments you’ll need to order site-specific reports from the Mining Remediation Authority or an authorised reseller.
Still, we’re committed to helping you make informed decisions, fast. With our Coal Mining layer you can accelerate the initial site assessment process and quickly discount unviable sites, or get a head-start on preparing remediation works, saving you time, money and more than a few headaches in the process.
Ready to get started?
There’s no doubt that when it comes to property development, historic coal mining is a challenge. But, with access to the right insights at the right time it’s a challenge you can tackle with confidence.
If you operate in an area shaped by the UK’s industrial past, this data could be the difference between your project’s success and its failure. Head to LandInsight now and turn on the Coal Mining layer to get started.
If you’re new to LandTech and you’re ready to take the guesswork out of site sourcing, click the button below to request a demo from one of our experts.
