Residents who evacuated their homes in a Surrey village due to a large sinkhole may face a prolonged absence, possibly lasting «several weeks, if not months».
Carl Bussey, Surrey County Council’s chair of the Strategic Coordination Group for the incident, stated that residents can only return when their buildings are deemed safe after assessments.
Speaking to Sky News correspondent Shamaan Freeman-Powell, Sarah Lewis, a resident of Godstone, expressed concern that she and her family may need to find alternative accommodation for months while repairs are made to the 62ft sinkhole that emerged on Monday night.
«We have been informed that it could take anywhere from two to four months before we can go back home,» she said.
«I don’t know what we are going to do.»
The 36-year-old IT worker shared her worries for her two young daughters, aged four and six, as she is unable to provide them with the stability and security they need.
She said: «Until we have a clear timeline for when we can return home, we can’t give them that. We don’t even know where we will be living, so we are at a loss for what to tell them.»
Ms Lewis’s property in William Way was one of 30 homes evacuated after the council declared a major incident and implemented a 100m cordon near Godstone High Street due to the sinkhole.
A second sinkhole appeared in a front garden of a property, believed to be connected to the first.
The cause of these sinkholes remains unknown and is under investigation.
Tandridge District Council stated on Thursday that the sinkhole remains a «significant incident» and efforts are ongoing to resolve the situation swiftly in collaboration with Surrey County Council and other agencies.
Assessments are being carried out to determine the safety of properties for residents to return to, with those still affected allowed to retrieve essential items from the site.
Read more:
What causes sinkholes and why are they popping up in the UK?
No estimate was provided regarding the duration of residents’ displacement.
«The full repair of the site is expected to take several weeks, if not months,» stated Mr. Bussey.
Matt Furniss, the cabinet member for highways, transport, and economic growth at the county council, mentioned that properties surrounding the sinkhole are currently deemed secure, but cautioned that this may change.
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Surrey residents react to sinkhole
‘Who knows where we will go’
Ms Lewis acknowledged the council’s efforts to find suitable long-term housing for affected residents, but expressed disappointment at the lack of financial assistance provided.
«It’s frustrating,» she remarked.
«This situation will incur significant costs for us, and it appears unlikely that we will be able to retrieve larger items from our home anytime soon. Residents who fled after a large sinkhole opened up in a Surrey village may not be able to return to their homes for «several weeks, if not months». Carl Bussey, Surrey County Council’s chair of the Strategic Coordination Group for the incident, said assessments on properties could continue but that residents would only be able to return home when buildings were «deemed structurally safe».
Speaking to Sky News correspondent Shamaan Freeman-Powell, Godstone resident Sarah Lewis, said she and her family may have to live in alternative accommodation for months while repair work is carried out on the 62ft hole that appeared on Monday night.
«We are being told it could be anything from two to four months before we could return to our homes,» she said. «I don’t know what we are going to do.»
The 36-year-old IT worker said she is mainly disappointed for her children – two girls aged four and six – as she is currently unable to give them the «security or stability» they need.
She said: «Until we know how long we are going to be out of a home, we can’t really give them that. We are going to have to buy to replace, even if we have to go and live in an Airbnb for the next few months.»
She added that until 9pm on Wednesday night, her family were «homeless» and claimed the Airbnb she had been put in by her home insurance company has black mould in.
«We have to stay there for the next week, but we don’t know where we are going to live in a week’s time,» she added.
«We have worked really hard to buy the house we have brought, and who knows where we will go for the next few months.»
She said the whole ordeal has been «incredibly stressful».
Businesses ‘losing customers daily’
Other residents, including garage owner Shane Fry, told Sky News his business was «losing customers daily» as people presume his garage is closed.
«I am trying to get them [local authorities] to put up at least some signage to say the business is still open,» he said.
«My main priority is that the businesses can remain open and functional, otherwise it is going to cost us dearly.
«We are losing customers on a daily basis, they are going elsewhere and the moment they do, the chances of them coming back are going to be slim.»
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In a separate statement, a spokesperson for Surrey County Council said: «Residents who have been displaced are being supported by Tandridge District Council through their housing teams, and are being (and will be) contacted proactively throughout the incident.
«Both councils’ contact centres have been receiving calls throughout the past three days, have dedicated webpages live and have been issuing updates via their news pages and social media.»
Local MP Claire Coutinho also said local businesses may be able to apply for a reduced council tax rate while the issue is ongoing. «We are uncertain about our future living arrangements, so we are unsure of what to inform them.» Residents who had to evacuate their homes due to a sinkhole in a Surrey village may face an extended period of displacement, with the possibility of not being able to return for «several weeks, if not months». Carl Bussey, the chair of the Strategic Coordination Group for the incident at Surrey County Council, mentioned that assessments on the affected properties are ongoing, but residents will only be allowed back when the buildings are deemed structurally safe.
In an interview with Sky News correspondent Shamaan Freeman-Powell, Godstone resident Sarah Lewis shared her concerns about the situation. She expressed that she and her family might have to seek alternative accommodation for an extended period while repair work is being carried out on the massive 62ft hole that emerged on Monday night.
Lewis mentioned, «We are being informed that it could take anywhere from two to four months before we can return to our homes. I don’t know what we are going to do.» The 36-year-old IT worker highlighted her main concern for her two young daughters, aged four and six, as she is currently unable to provide them with the security and stability they need. She added, «Until we have a clear timeline on when we can go back home, we can’t offer them that.»
Lewis also expressed her frustration about the uncertainty surrounding their living situation. She emphasized the stressful nature of the ordeal and the challenges her family is facing due to the unexpected displacement. She mentioned that despite their hard work to purchase their home, the sudden turn of events has left them unsure of where they will live in the coming months.
Additionally, Lewis raised concerns about the temporary accommodation provided by her home insurance company, noting issues with black mold in the Airbnb they were placed in. She highlighted the discomfort and health risks associated with the mold infestation, adding further strain to their already challenging situation.
The disruption caused by the sinkhole not only impacted residents but also local businesses in the area. Garage owner Shane Fry shared with Sky News that his business was suffering significant losses as customers assumed his garage was closed due to the incident. He emphasized the importance of clear signage to inform the community that his business is still operational to prevent further financial setbacks.
Fry stressed the urgency of maintaining business operations to avoid long-term consequences and emphasized the need for support from local authorities to address the challenges faced by businesses in the area. He highlighted the impact of losing customers daily and the potential difficulties in regaining their trust and loyalty once they have turned to alternative providers.
In response to the situation, a spokesperson for Surrey County Council assured that residents who have been displaced are receiving support from Tandridge District Council’s housing teams. Proactive communication efforts are in place to keep affected residents informed throughout the incident, with updates provided via various channels including news pages and social media platforms.
Local MP Claire Coutinho also addressed the impact on businesses, mentioning the possibility for affected businesses to apply for a reduced council tax rate during the ongoing crisis. The support aims to alleviate financial burdens on businesses struggling to maintain operations amidst the disruption caused by the sinkhole incident.
The collective efforts of local authorities, residents, and businesses are crucial in navigating through this challenging period. As the community works together to address the aftermath of the sinkhole, resilience, and cooperation will be key in overcoming the obstacles and uncertainties that lie ahead. «We are unsure of our future living arrangements, so we are unable to provide any information to them.»
The sinkholes in Godstone, Surrey
Ms Lewis’s property in William Way was one of 30 that were evacuated after Surrey County Council declared a major incident and put in place a 100m cordon near Godstone High Street due to the sinkhole.
A second sinkhole then appeared in a property’s front garden, which is thought to be linked to the first.
What caused the two holes remains unknown and is still being investigated.
Tandridge District Council said on Thursday that the sinkhole remains a «significant incident» and the council is working alongside Surrey County Council and other agencies to «resolve the situation as quickly as possible».
It said work is ongoing to assess whether any properties are safe for residents to return to, and those still affected will be allowed back to the site to collect «essential belongings».
Read more:
What causes sinkholes and why are they popping up in the UK?
It did not provide an estimate on how long residents would be out of their homes for.
«The full-scale repair of the site will likely take several weeks, if not months,» Mr Bussey said.
Matt Furniss, the cabinet member for highways, transport and economic growth at the county council, added that properties surrounding the sinkhole have been declared stable for now, but admitted this «may not remain the case».
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Surrey residents react to sinkhole
‘Who knows where we will go’
Ms Lewis acknowledged the council is looking for proper long-term housing for affected residents, but it has not offered any financial support.
«It is frustrating,» she said.
«This is going to cost us a lot of money, and it is unlikely we are going to be able to go back into our house to get larger items.
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