Residents in limbo over Anglian Water repair delays on Grantham sinkhole

A sinkhole continues to cause frustration for residents due to a lack of action by authorities since it appeared five months ago.

Residents in Grantham's Tissington Road area say there has been a lack of progress in addressing the issue since it emerged on a green space on October 22.

The situation is causing distress among locals, compounded by concerns over safety, property values, and the upcoming summer.

Since its appearance on October 22, 2023, the sinkhole, which has expanded significantly, remains concerning.

Persimmon Homes, the developer responsible for the site, initially fenced off the area for safety, yet substantive repairs are yet to materialise.

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Resident Luke Chambers noted that despite initial inspections and promises of action, there has been little visible progress.

“Residents are now absolutely fed up with Anglian Water,” he said.

“Nothing has yet been done apart from an inspection some time ago now but our main concern is that summer is now fast approaching and we still could not have a green for our children and many other children to play on.

Luke said that residents are reporting adverse effects on their insurance premiums, with one experiencing nearly a doubling in costs due to having to declare the sinkhole on renewal forms.

This, along with property value concerns, has left homeowners hesitant to sell.

In response to pressure, local authorities and utility providers have assured ongoing efforts to address the situation.

Anglian Water, responsible for the area's infrastructure, has cited heavy rainfall and saturated ground conditions as reasons for delays in repair works.

The company has pledged to continue monitoring the area closely and implementing flood mitigation measures to ensure residents' safety.

An Anglian Water spokesperson said: “Our teams are working to repair the sinkhole that has appeared in Tissington Road in Grantham.

“Due to the heavy rainfall, we’ve been experiencing - which has fallen on already saturated ground - it has meant we have had to delay the works until the ground conditions improve.

“We are continuing to conduct weekly checks in the area and are currently installing monitors in manholes as part of our flood mitigation scheme which will alert us when there are high levels of water in the sewers.

“Once the ground has dried out, we will be able to dig up the affected area before levelling it off with soil.

“Then when this has settled, we will be back to put the ground back to how it originally was.

“We appreciate residents’ patience while we carry out this essential work and apologise for any inconvenience caused.”

Persimmon Homes stated that Anglian Water had adopted the area and it had been trying to contact them but had yet to see any progress.