The sinkhole appeared on Saturday (July 26) along Oliver Street in Kingsley, and has since been surrounded by barriers and a steel plate by West Northants Council’s (WNC) Highways Authority.
However, concerns are growing over how the situation is being managed.
One resident, who lives next to the sinkhole, said: “Highways bollards and barriers have been placed around it, and a steel plate has been put over the top in case someone tries to drive over it. An Anglian Water engineer told me it’s six feet deep.The resident said they contacted WNC for an update but were told the issue hadn’t yet been logged.
They said: “I was told it would take five working days just to assess the problem – not fix it – and that repairs ‘could take a long time.’ It’s a six-foot hole next to my house. Closing the road to heavy vehicles, at least, would be a good first step.”A WNC spokeswoman said: “Investigations into the sink hole that has appeared in Oliver Street are ongoing. The area has been cordoned off with safety barriers in place and we will be providing an update as soon as we know more.”An Anglian Water spokesman said: “This job was raised by the local highways authority, and the barriers and walk board were deployed by them. Our teams completed a CCTV survey on our assets in the area and found no issues with our pipes.”
Sinkholes typically form when the ground collapses due to the removal of underground material, often caused by water dissolving soluble bedrock or by soil movement.
