An unknown mine shaft, “potentially 800 feet deep” and covered with boards, has been discovered at a historic Broxtowe site.
The discovery was revealed at Broxtowe Borough Council’s cabinet meeting on September 29, as an update on the Brinsley Headstocks redevelopment project was given.
Back in January 2025, staff undertaking groundworks investigations at the site uncovered the mine shaft at the Brinsley site – it was completely unknown to the council and the Coal Authority.
It was found in an area shown on an 1879 map.
This is the third mine shaft found at the Brinsley Headstocks site. In October 2024, two others were found partly using old maps after previous ground investigation works – one inaccessible tunnel was found to be underneath the wider project’s remembrance orchard area.
Speaking during the meeting, council leader Milan Radulovic (Brox Alliance) said the finding, which was not marked on original maps, came as a “shock” to the authority.
Councillor Greg Marshall, deputy leader of the council, said: “We need to ensure, as an authority, we certainly play the role of ensuring that site is completely safe.
“Nothing would be worse than a serious injury or, indeed, possible death associated with that site.”
The Coal Authority, now named the Mining Remediation Authority, has since said the shaft was “securely fenced”, along with other safety measures, before being backfilled.
Continuing in the meeting, Cllr Radulovic said: “Broxtowe has got a lot of former mine workings in our area… I think in the area of Eastwood there’s something like 17 coal mines, including a shaft right on Walker Street.
“When you think that some of these mine shafts, Babbington and Moorgreen, were over 1,000 feet deep, the operating depth of Moorgreen Colliery was [around 800 feet], the shaft depth was well over 1,000 feet, which is a potential for disaster.
“If the records don’t even show an 800-foot potential mine shaft at Brinsley, how many more are there waiting up there until somebody stands on one one day? And it goes down and then all hell breaks loose?”
The leader said the pit shaft was found “covered over by boards, by planks” and said the potential for disaster was “immense”.
He called on environment staff at the authority to carry out “due diligence” and research the grounds around key mining areas in the borough, such as the former Babbington Colliery in Nuthall and Moorgreen Colliery in Eastwood, to ensure public safety, particularly for children and young people playing outside at places such as Colliers Wood.
The authority has confirmed the pit shaft’s depth is not currently known, though shaft fill to a depth of around four metres below ground level was found.
It says it will be appointing specialist external contractors to help review land the council owns across the borough, particularly where mining activity was previously rife.
This will ensure the authority’s records are up to date and, so far, it has not been made aware of any incidents or concerns relating to historic pits on its land.
Emma Georgiou, interim director of environment and leisure at the authority, said during the meeting: “When [the mine shaft] was discovered, we did approach the Coal Authority about trying to resolve it and undertake the work themselves.
“Despite a number of attempts to contact them, we haven’t received a response.”
Ms Georgiou stated the authority would “continue to push” for the Coal Authority to reimburse the council if the authority has to cap the mine itself.
Zoe Rose-Higgins, public safety and development director at the Mining Remediation Authority, said in a statement: “Our permitting team and public safety and subsidence specialists worked closely with the permit holder and their consultants following the discovery.
“Our site inspection confirmed the shaft was securely fenced, with appropriate safety measures put in place by the council. As no immediate public safety concerns were identified, we were able to close the incident on that basis.
“Investigation and remedial works on former coal mining sites are managed through our permitting process, and we would welcome a further application from the council so we can support them in carrying out any safety works, including capping.
“We don’t currently have a record of a request from Broxtowe Borough Council for funding to cap the shaft. While this wouldn’t fall within our statutory responsibilities, we’re very happy to talk this through with the council and continue working together on the right next steps for the site.”
By Lauren Monaghan Local Democracy Reporter
