RESIDENTS fear water building up in a void within a former open-cast site will eventually flood their small village.

The local Community Council have spoken to East Ayrshire Council about the 'dangerous’ water levels within the massive hole at the former ATH-operated mine in Skares.

And they now fear the levels - which they claim are above the foundations of the small village - could have a lasting negative impact on their properties.

Council chiefs met with locals at a meeting last month to discuss the concerns. They say there is no danger to the village.

The revelations follow a similar situation at the former Powharnal site near Muirkirk, previously mined by the defunct Scottish Coal, which is also a huge concern for locals there.

A Skares Community Council spokesperson said: “This is a major worry for everyone in the village. The water is now about 100 feet deep and it is above the foundations.

“The fields between the void and village are absolutely saturated.

“With the wet weather and climate changes, the fear is that the water will build and build and then seep through the fields into the village.

“Something needs to be done about it sooner rather than later.

“There is always the fear for people falling in as well.” There is currently a dispute over who owns the land and therefore who is responsible for making it safe. Council chiefs say ATH still own it and as they are bust the liquidators should take responsibility. The point is currently in dispute.

Durham-based Hargreaves - who have taken over four of Scottish Coal’s previous sites - are helping undertake health and safety inspections for no charge.

Part of Hargreaves’ future proposed development scheme is to pump out the water and fill it in with overburden material mined from Auchlin, which is adjacent to the Skares site. The finalised restoration will include the designed water feature and landscaped topography to blend into the existing landscape.

These proposals will be subject to a major planning application and public consultation which will be considered by the Planning Committee in due course.

In Muirkirk, the water in the void at Powharnal is causing similar concerns and local activist Jimmy Currie said: “Nobody seems to be taking responsibility. It is a disaster waiting to happen.” Elizabeth Morton, Depute Chief Executive, East Ayrshire Council: “The Council does not own any of the former opencast coal mine sites and following the Court of Session action last year, is of the view that as Aardvark TMC Limited trading locally as ATH owned the site, the liquidators, KPMG, are still responsible for it; KPMG are disputing this. To ensure a regular on-site presence, Hargreaves Surface Mining, following discussions with the Council, have been undertaking health and safety inspections, while not assuming any responsibility for the site.

“The dispute over the ownership responsibilities will not prevent the Council, in conjunction with SEPA, who are monitoring the quality and depth of the water in the Skares void, taking the necessary action to prevent any overflow and to divert the water to ensure it does not affect the surrounding area including the village. To help fund the work if KPMG refuse to do so, the Council is preparing to call up the bond which is in place for the site.

“There is no suggestion of any immediate risk to the surrounding area and this will be kept under constant review and the necessary action taken.”