As a result of this information, new layers of ground stability risk analysis has been added to Landmark’s all-in-one RiskView reports, including the ability to identify past insurance claims made within proximity of the property.
The aim is to provide property owners, buyers and legal conveyancers with greater insight to hazards relating to man-made and natural risks for a given property. The RiskView reports also include details of past insurance claims resulting from damage caused by subsidence to properties in the locale, providing ‘real life’ evidence of potential hazards for a given property.
Assessing historical mining records found that in 95 of the 385 Local Authority (LA) areas, over 50% of residential properties were located within 250m of mining activities. Of these, there are 34 LAs where 100% of the homes are located within close proximity of former mining activities. Only three LAs currently have no considered risk of mining activities.
If the RiskView report identifies the presence of a hazard, it could mean the property has a potential risk of structural damage from subsidence or heave. The desktop report covers a wide range of risks, including man-made and natural sources – such as coal and non-coal mining, landfill sites, salt mining, brine extraction and more – as well as providing subsidence insurance claim information, thereby highlighting both the risk and actual impact of local ground conditions.
Angela Gordon-Lennox, Head of Product, Environment, Legal & Mapping Landmark Information said: “Hazards relating to subsidence and other types of ground instability has the potential to cause widespread damage. You only have to look at recent news to see stories relating to subsidence, heave and sinkholes. Ground stability should always be considered as part of the property conveyancing process when buying a new home.
When you talk to people about such risks, they don’t often realise the prevalence and regional variances in ground hazards across the country. It is therefore always worth researching risks of this nature to provide peace of mind.”
