15 Jan Sinkhole appears in Fenning Street

Residents are concerned for safety around the Fenning Street area, after the appearance of a sinkhole, estimated 10m (4 storeys) deep, next to the EDGE London Bridge construction site. One resident has written to the Council expressing safety concerns including lack of access for emergency vehicles given that both Melior Street and Fenning Street are now closed to traffic. He has asked important questions of the Council, which BermondseyStreet.London is equally keen to see the answers to.

1. What actions is Southwark Council taking to address the sinkhole on Fenning Street and to ensure public safety in the surrounding area?
2. Is the Council investigating whether the construction of the EDGE London Bridge development has contributed to the formation of the sinkhole, and are independent assessments being conducted?
3. What steps is the Council taking to reassure local residents and businesses that future tall building developments will be carried out safely and will not lead to further hazards of this nature?

Since he wrote, we have received notification from Mace, the contractor at the site ‘Due to the sinkhole incident on Fenning Street, the site team will be undertaking and completing some additional safety stability works around our existing welfare units and within our basement levels of the site… Saturday – 9am to 6pm … Sunday – 10am to 5pm.’  A statement issued later added that UK Power Networks has ensured that no local residents or businesses are experiencing power cuts and that Mace is working with the utility companies and others to investigate the cause of the collapse. Fenning Street is expected to be closed for some time.