Godstone High Street: Second sinkhole appears in Surrey village as major incident declared, repairs 'could take months'

sSurrey County Council has declared a major incident as the sinkhole continues to grow on Godstone High Street and swallow more of the road, with concerns about potential gas explosions and infrastructure damage.

The first sinkhole appeared late Monday night, initially measuring 65ft (20m) by Tuesday lunchtime. A second collapse has since formed, with a car now teetering on the edge, its owner unable to move it.

Police have evacuated multiple homes, particularly those built just three years ago on the site of a former sand quarry.

Speaking to the BBC, resident Noosh Miri, who was among those forced to leave her home, described the moment she realised something was wrong: "We got a violent knocking on the door. As I opened the door, it sounded like I was in a waterfall because the sinkhole was right in front of my doorstep.

“The policewoman told us we needed to get out straight away, and in the space of 10 minutes, we got the kids dressed, we grabbed the nearest things that we could find." The family has since been placed in temporary accommodation by their insurers, but Ms Miri fears it will be months before they can return home.

Residents believe the sinkhole could be linked to underground mining caves, as well as heavy-loaded vehicles that frequently pass through the area."We think it's a combination of different things that have led to here – it's not a simple burst pipe or the caves or lorries," Ms Miri told the BBC.

According to the Surrey Hills Society, there are around seven miles of tunnels beneath Godstone, further raising concerns about structural weaknesses in the area.

Other residents reported that the sinkhole had opened next to newly built flats, while some evacuees were forced to sleep in their cars in a nearby car park after being told to leave in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

The operation is now being overseen by the Surrey Local Resilience Forum, with Surrey County Council (SCC) as the lead agency.

Carl Bussey, SCC’s assistant director for safer communities, said: Residents from within the cordon – around 30 properties – are being supported by Tandridge District Council with advice around accommodation."

Emergency services continue to investigate the cause of the sinkholes and assess infrastructure safety.

The Environment Agency has confirmed that there is no evidence of pollution, while SES Water reported that water supplies have been restored, though some properties may experience discoloured water.

The company reassured residents that there is no health risk and confirmed that customers would receive compensation in their bills.

Surrey County Council has warned that repairs could take several months, as efforts continue to stabilise the area and restore infrastructure.