Safety measures need to be implemented at a Mansfield quarry site to keep the public safe.
Mansfield District Council has revealed an assessment by experts found problems with the cliff face at Quarry Lane Nature Reserve.
The popular town hotspot was assessed by the council’s contractor Fairhurst in March 2022, which identified a series of problems to fix.
The authority says issues include clearing fallen and unstable trees and pervasive vegetation like ivy.
Scaling is also needed on loose blocks due to a large mature overhanging tree, alongside support which needs to be installed beneath existing overhangs.
Now the Labour-run authority has approved a decision to find structural and civil engineers to design the works.
The initial contract is expected to cost about £27,000 but would rise to above £50,000 in the future, the council says.
In a report, the authority said: “A number of remedial measures should be implemented as soon as reasonably practicable in order to reduce risks to an acceptable level to both the public using the nature reserve and residents along Matlock Avenue.
“The quarry wall trends approximately north to South and is situated in the Quarry Lane Nature Reserve, adjacent to the river, with a public footpath at its base.
“Residential properties and gardens are present at the crest of the quarry wall, along Matlock Avenue.
“The crest of the slope is heavily vegetated with a range of mature tree species and hedges. Ivy is also present sprawling across the quarry wall itself.
“Works required include [the] clearance of fallen and unstable trees and pervasive vegetation such as ivy, including large mature tree overhanging quarry face
“Minimal scaling where loose blocks are present as a result of the above and existing root jacking, [and] installation of buttress supports beneath existing overhangs [are also included].
“These supports can be formed of sandstone/limestone blocks to provide an aesthetically suitable solution – or concrete/steel prop.”
A decision to find engineers for the work was approved by Sarah Troman, head of neighbourhood services, on Thursday (June 16).
It’s the third quarry or cliff in Mansfield where works are required to shore up the structure.
The authority previously employed Fairhurst, a geotechnical engineering firm, to draw up and deliver its works to Berry Hill Quarry following major landslips.
Homes were evacuated on two separate occasions in late 2019 after rubble collapsed into peoples’ gardens, with major works now concluding to prevent repeat collapses.
And a cliff face on Rock Hill will soon get cash to be repaired after nearly four years of traffic control measures.
The authority is seeking a contractor to conduct the works after rocks fell into the road in November 2019.
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