Landslide-hit road linking East Chinnock to Odcombe to remain shut
The road was hit by a landslide back in February 2021 and has been closed ever since after 20 tonnes of rock and sand rolled down the hollow wall
Last updated 12th Jun 2023
The landslide-hit Chinnock Hollow near Yeovil will NOT reopen after an independent report said it would cost nearly £3 million to repair.
Somerset Council say they can't justify the cost to repair the damage of the road, linking the villages of East Chinnock and Odcombe, because of other maintenance priorities across the county - despite it being closed since February 2021.
It follows 20 tonnes of rock and sand tumbling down a 12 metre hollow - burying part of the road below - which would cost up to £2.7 million just to make it safe.
Due to the seriousness of the incident, back on February 21, 2021, investigations began into the likely causes, actions needed to secure the road and potential hazards moving forward.
In-depth engineering reports revealed the 'substantial risk of another landslide' - which could be even larger than the last one - as well as the risk of other failures at different points along the road.
In October 2022, a public meeting involving local communities was held to look at the risk and potential options to make the road safe.
During the meeting, it was agreed a final independent report was needed to find out the full cost of providing a 'hybrid option', which would have involved clearance, containment work and regular safety monitoring - and would have meant steel meshing would have been put in place to hold up the steep sides of the hollow.
The report found this would cost up to an estimated £2.7 million - without the option by Somerset Council of seeking external funding.
"We cannot justify spending nearly £3 million"
Councillor Mike Rigby, Somerset Council’s Lead Member for Transport and Digital said: “We understand people’s concerns about an indefinite closure of Chinnock Hollow, but the reality is that there just isn’t the available budget to consider this scheme.
“We cannot justify spending nearly £3 million when there are so many pressing and competing maintenance priorities across more than 4,100 miles of road in Somerset, and there is no available funding from Government.
“It’s simply not possible to open the road and hope for the best when there is a substantial risk of a further significant land-slide. The Council is liable for any resulting injury or fatality and must take every possible precaution to ensure the safety of the public.
“The road must therefore remain closed until such time as funding can be identified to safely reopen it. We will continue to explore any potential avenues for funding.”
“We are liaising with the communities in the immediate area to listen to concerns people may have and we will be arranging a further engagement event to give people the chance to speak to our specialist team.”
The report outlines four options – avoidance/keeping the road closed; routine maintenance and inspections; containment; strengthening.
The fully costed £2.7m option, explored by Somerset Council, is a combination of containment and routine maintenance and inspections.
The report recommends the road should remain closed until the option to reopen it can be funded and delivered.
You can read the full report on the Somerset Council website.
Read more: 'We cannot simply clear the debris and carry on as before' warn council after landslip