Methodologies & Limitations: Mining and ground stability

Non-coal mining assessment

The non-coal mining assessment has been compiled from the archive information held by Groundsure. As with all historic mining records, there is no guarantee or assurance of reliability or accuracy of these records. Not all mining activities were recorded or are publically available. Groundsure can't be held responsible for any omissions or errors in the information upon which our interpretation has been based.

Historical mining records vary in document age, reliability, reproduction, quality of the original record, the reason to produce the original document, the skill of the original surveyor and the accuracy of the available surveying equipment at the time of production.

It must be accepted that the information is subject to interpretation. Alternative interpretations may be possible.

In any area, sporadic, un-surveyed and ancient mine workings can exist, and unrecorded mine workings or mineralised veins can never be ruled out. Groundsure cannot be held responsible for any settlement or subsidence associated with unrecorded mining features, or from mining plans that are outside of our archive.

If the property or site is subject to future development, we recommend that the ownership of the minerals below the site's surface, and whether the area is in a Mineral Consultation and/or Safeguarding Area, is established. This information may be sought from a legal adviser, or via the Land Registry and a CON29O respectively. This will help determine whether any mineral safeguarding restrictions apply at the property or site.

In addition, a mining site investigation may be required to satisfy planning or building regulation conditions. Contact Groundsure for further advice.

Notes and guidance - summary of potential report outcomes 

Action required

There is an identified mining risk and further action is recommended.

• Based on all available mining data further mining investigation is required;
• The client should be informed of the recommended actions;
• Depending on the outcome of recommended actions, the identified issues may need to be reported to the lender if stipulated in their particular requirements.

Potential risk (Avista, Groundsure-in-One (new), GeoRisk and GeoRisk + only)

There is an identified risk but no further investigation is recommended.

• data indicates the potential for coal mining related issues (GeoRisk + only) or the property is at risk of coastal erosion;
• the client should be informed of the recommended actions

Please note, there are niche scenarios within the CON29M element of the GeoRisk + report for which a Potential risk outcome may be presented for which further action may be required.

Pass with guidance (Avista, Groundsure-in-One (new), GeoRisk and GeoRisk + only)

There is an identified potential for ground movement but it is unlikely to impact the transaction.

• If a survey has been undertaken at the property that considers ground instability and no issues were found, no further action is required;
• However, based on the findings of this report, the purchaser should be encouraged to consider potential instability in any future development or alteration of the ground including planting and removing trees, and regardless of the survey outcome;
• If no survey has yet been undertaken, we recommend one is carried out by a suitably qualified and experienced person;
• If ground instability issues have been or are subsequently identified in a survey we recommend following any advice given in the survey findings.

Pass 

No ground hazards have been identified at the site within the scope and limitations of the report.

Coal Authority data

Avista, CON29M, GeoRisk + and the GeoRisk Coal and Brine Certificate contains Data provided by the Coal Authority. Any and all analysis and interpretation of Coal Authority Data in this report is made by Groundsure Limited and is in no way supported, endorsed or authorised by the Coal Authority. The use of the data is restricted to the terms and provisions contained in this report. Data reproduced in this report may be the copyright of the Coal Authority and permission should be sought from Groundsure Limited prior to any re-use. Due to data collection methods and processing time, there may be a period of up to 2 weeks between the Coal Authority updating their data and it appearing within the Groundsure report.

Further information on Coal Authority datasets used in the CON29M element of Groundsure reports is available here. 

National Coastal Erosion Risk Mapping (NCERM)

The National Coastal Erosion Risk Mapping (2018-2021) shows the coastal baseline. This baseline is split to ‘frontages’. These are defined as lengths of the coast with consistent characteristics based on the cliff behaviour characteristics and the defence
characteristics. It is intended as an up-to-date and reliable benchmark dataset showing erosion extents and rates for three periods:

• Short Term (0 – 20yr);
• Medium Term (20 – 50yr); and
• Long Term (50 – 100yr).

For the 5th, 50th and 95th percentile confidence levels (degrees of certainty, where 95th percentile equates to 95% certainty) for:

• No Active Intervention Policy scenario; and
• With the implementation of a Shoreline Management Plan (SMP).

Defence type and SMP policies for each of the three periods described above are included.

The data and associated information is intended for guidance - it cannot provide details for individual properties. The NCERM information considers the predominant risk at the coast, although flooding and erosion processes are often linked, and data on the
erosion of foreshore features are, in general, not included.

The data describes the upper and lower estimates of erosion risk at a particular location, within which the actual location of the coastline is expected to lie. The data does not estimate the absolute location of the future coastline. Details of geologically complex
areas, known as "complex cliffs" are, in general, not included within the estimates of erosion risk due to the inherent uncertainties associated with predicting the timing and extent of erosion at these locations.

This dataset succeeds National Coastal Erosion Risk Mapping (NCERM) - National (2012 - 2017) Attribution statement: © Environment Agency copyright and/or database right

BGS Property Shrink Swell Assessment

This dataset uses OS Open Maps building polygons to derive its assessment. These are often representative of more than one building and so the score assigned is representative of the highest risk found within the connected building units e.g. a pair of semi-detached properties or a terraced row. The baseline mapping used to derive the assessment will be updated at least annually.

The assessment does not cover any man-made hazards and is based on, and limited to the input datasets including OS Open Buildings, Office for National Statistics data, Bluesky Tree Map and BGS GeoSure shrink-swell. An indication of natural ground instability related to shrink–swell does not necessarily mean that a location will definitely be affected by ground movement or subsidence. Such an assessment can only be made by inspection of the area by a qualified professional.