60 homes evacuated in Scottish village after ground movement detected

Sixty homes have been evacuated in a Scottish village following reports of ground movement.

Thirty homes in Benbuck View, in Coalsnaughton in Clackmannanshire, were cleared out as a precaution on 18 May amid safety concerns.

On Wednesday, an additional 30 homes in nearby Dunmoss View were evacuated after "further issues" were reported and found in the street.

Dunmoss View resident Paul Macleod, 50, told Sky News he had been "closely monitoring" the situation in the neighbouring street, and had been checking his walls for cracks and watching for any movement in the paving slabs outside.

Mr Macleod said: "I even packed a suitcase in advance, because I had a feeling the problem could eventually affect our street as well.

"At the moment, I am staying in a local hotel following the evacuation.

"I'm surprisingly calm, although I don't think the full reality of the situation has completely sunk in yet."

Mr Macleod, who has lived in the street for seven years, said he "never imagined" something like this could happen in the village.

He added: "The ground movement in Dunmoss View appeared to happen overnight.

"One day everything seemed completely normal, then the next morning we woke up to find parts of the street had sunk, with slabs lifted, shifted and cracked."

The community has banded together following the incident.

Coalsnaughton, Langour and Devonside Village Hall has offered to support all those in need, with villagers additionally offering storage space or help with washing.

Local cafe Minnie's Kitchen, in nearby Menstrie, has also offered free breakfast or lunch to those affected, noting: "We are here to help you through these unforeseen circumstances."

Residents in both streets are currently prohibited from returning to their homes, but are allowed accompanied visits to collect belongings.

The area has been fenced off, with security and police in attendance to prevent unauthorised access.

Temporary traffic lights are in place on The Glen, which runs past the two streets and connects Coalsnaughton to Devonside and Tillicoultry.

Clackmannanshire Council is offering support to the affected residents, and has advised that the specialist investigations undertaken by the Mining Remediation Authority (MRA) are "expected to take some time to complete".

A question-and-answer page on its website says: "Activity on site currently includes property inspections, ground investigations, trial digs and drilling, alongside the installation of cameras and ground sensors.

"These measures are helping teams build a clearer picture of what is happening below the surface and plan the next steps with as much care and accuracy as possible."

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The MRA said its priority remains the safety of all those involved.

A spokesperson said: "The priority of all local resilience partners continues to be the safety of everyone involved, and we are doing everything we can to support Clackmannanshire Council and those affected and respond as quickly and safely as possible.

"Work is continuing at pace to establish the cause of this incident, with multiple specialist teams on site undertaking detailed engineering assessments.

"Traffic management and additional security measures have been put in place, and we continue to work with Clackmannanshire Council to manage local services.

"Utility providers are ensuring that utility supplies are being safely isolated where required.

"Our priority remains the safety of residents, our people and partners, and we will provide further updates as more information becomes available."

(c) Sky News 2026: 60 homes evacuated in Scottish village after ground movement detected