Urgent repairs are being called for after a collapsed sewer in the centre of Sunderland has now caused a severe subsidence risk to properties in its vicinity.
Local publication the Sunderland Echo reports Sunderland City Council is acting to rectify the situation after an investigation uncovered a large void under Union Street in the town centre.
Works to repair the issue are set to get underway in the coming days, but with such a large hole beneath the road’s surface it is set to be a major undertaking for the local authority and is likely to cause considerable disruption to both businesses and residents in the area.
Mike Madine, Northumbrian Water’s sewerage manager, told the news provider: “We discovered the sewer under Union Street had collapsed, causing a large void which, in turn, has caused severe subsidence and structural failure to the road.
“Our approved contractor, Lumsden and Carroll, will start repairs to the sewer on Sunday (September 15th) and will be working 12-hour day shifts to minimise disruption as much as possible.”
It is hoped the project can be completed in as little as ten days, although property owners in the area have been warned of the potential for damage to their premises in the meantime.
Union Street is to be closed to all traffic for the duration of the repairs, with locals being contacted at present by the council to the warn them of the likely disruption to their routines.
Access to the site is to be strictly controlled as staff for Northumbrian Water assess the extent of the issue and carry out their necessary repairs.
Subsidence can be caused by a range of issues, not least of which is the collapse of sewers or other subterranean structures.
As such, property owners across the UK could benefit from the buildings insurance subsidence cover offered by GSI Insurance Services (Southern) Limited, which can ensure property owners are fully compensated for any damage to the structure of their premises.