Locals have watched in tears as condemned homes in a Fife town are torn down just weeks after residents were given the “tragic” news that their houses would be lost.
Bulldozers have moved into Dewar Avenue in Kincardine this week to demolish six homes that have been deemed unsafe.
It followed an urgent inspection by the Mining Remediation Authority, which confirmed that cracks appearing in the walls of the houses were the result of subsidence from old mining works.
Structural assessments deemed the houses to be beyond repair.
The issue was reported to the authority on April 23 and it met with residents on May 12 to confirm the homes were no longer safe to live in, giving them less than two weeks to move out.
Former Dewar Avenue resident Theresa Mitchell, nee Lattka, who grew up in one of the houses being knocked down, described the scene as “deeply sad” and “a tragedy” for those affected.
Wiping away tears, she told The Courier: “It’s heartbreaking and shocking to watch the first of these houses being reduced to rubble.
“It’s like a lifetime of memories gone in a few minutes.
“I was one of nine children brought up at number 51 at the end of the row.
“My mum and dad, Pawel and Maria Latka, rented the house but later bought it under Thatcher’s right-to-buy scheme in the 1980s.
“I think they paid around £6,000 for it and were delighted to own their own home.
“We have so many great childhood memories growing up in that house and playing on the road.
“We eventually sold the house in 2017 after my mum died, but I still have family in the street and nearby.
“Watching them tear down the houses makes me deeply sad.
“It’s an absolute tragedy for those poor people currently living in the houses who have had to leave so suddenly.
“I’m just glad my dad isn’t here to witness this, as he’d be truly heartbroken.”
A current Dewar Avenue resident, who asked not to be named, says remaining residents on the street fear their homes could be next.
He told The Courier: “There have been concerns among the residents for some time that something was not quite right.
“However, everybody had been shocked at how quickly it all escalated.
Fears for house values in Kincardine after mining subsidence
“Many homes have now been fitted with monitoring equipment in case of further subsidence.
“Some are confident that their homes won’t be affected, but a good few are very worried indeed.
“Many are also fear the value of the surrounding homes will be seriously reduced and may even struggle to sell.”
Meanwhile, Kincardine Community Centre – which sits just yards from the homes – remains closed due to concerns about its structure.
Carl Banton, operations director at the Mining Remediation Authority – part of the UK Government – says demolition of the houses is expected to last for six weeks.
He said: “We understand that this is a very difficult time for these residents, and we are supporting them on an individual basis.
“To reassure residents of nearby properties, we are continuing to monitor the wider area around Dewar Avenue.”
Mr Banton describes the damage to the community centre as “minor” but says further monitoring will take place before a decision can be made on when it will reopen.
He added: “In the short term, while we carry out further monitoring to establish if it is safe to undertake work and reopen the centre, it will need to remain closed.
“We’re sorry for any inconvenience this is causing as we recognise this is an important resource for the community.”
The Courier has asked the authority what support residents are receiving to be rehomed and whether they will be given compensation for losing their homes.
- Are you one of the occupants or owners of the condemned homes? Email livenews@thecourier.co.uk
Conversation