IT'S said to be six months but there are fears that it could be up to a year until the Coalsnaughton residents who were forced to flee can return to their homes.
Locals from 97 properties on Benbuck View, Dunmoss View, Nechtan Drive and Langour are waiting to find out the results of an investigation into the ground movement that first started on May 18.
The subsidence meant they had to leave their homes for safety reasons and the majority have been put up in temporary accommodation since then.
Residents will be updated by the Mining Remediation Authority (MRA) at a meeting on Tuesday July 28, although enquiries are expected to go on for a few more weeks.
The MRA’s chief operations director, Carl Banton said at a meeting back in May that there will be a six-month monitoring period after movement stops before repairs can take place.
It has been confirmed by the public body that people will not be able to move back in until those repairs are carried out, with the timescale for each property being determined on a case by case basis.
One resident told the Advertiser they were advised that they would be out of their home for six months, but fears that it could be up to 12 months.
Clackmannanshire Council stated earlier in July that some occupants of Langour chose not to leave at the time, but were then issued with year-long dangerous building notices mandating fixes.
A spokesperson said: “We recognise that this continues to be a very difficult and distressing situation for affected residents and the wider community.
“The council and our partners continue to engage directly with those affected, providing information, advice and support.
"We will continue to work with affected residents to explore any ongoing housing needs.
“Information on the outcome of the MRA investigations remains on-track and will be shared directly with the residents.”
It’s not yet clear what date the six-month monitoring period will begin from, while there are more than 250 people living in temporary accommodation.
Mr Banton said: “Our thoughts remain with the residents affected and we would like to assure the community that we are doing all we can, as quickly as possible, alongside the Local Resilience Partnership, to understand the cause of this incident, and identify the potential activity needed to make the area safe again.
“We are continuing to carry out camera scans, underground surveys and geophysical investigations to help identify any mine workings and build a clearer picture of ground conditions.
"Weekly LiDAR surveys are also being undertaken to compare movement over time and create heat maps that help us track any changes across the area.
“We understand that Clackmannanshire Council has issued dangerous building notices to properties in Langour that have been affected by ground movement.
“These notices are an important public safety measure and are intended to help protect residents, visitors and the wider community while the situation is assessed and managed.
“Public safety remains the priority, and we will continue to work closely with the council as it leads on the immediate safety measures for the impacted properties.”
Tillicoultry, Coalsnaughton and Devonside Community Council said it has not been given any information on the situation since it started.
All local councillors representing Coalsnaughton were approached for comment.
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