Property owners in the Curlewis area may be impacted by mine subsidence risks.
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Fifty-five properties have been identified in a recent review carried out by Subsidence Advisory NSW (SA NSW) for the NSW government.
A spokesperson for SA NSW said the mine subsidence area was 70 square-kilometres, and covered an area of “old inactive underground mining where there is potential for subsidence to occur”.
The underground mining in the area took place between the early 1990s and 2000.
“SA NSW is proclaiming a new district at Curlewis so it can help protect homes and other structures from potential subsidence damage,” the spokesperson said.
“The new district will benefit property owners in the area by ensuring new homes and buildings are constructed to an appropriate standard that reduces the risk of damage if subsidence were to occur."
The new district will come into effect from July 1.
“Any planned building or subdivision proposals within the new Curlewis district will need to be approved by SA NSW before work can commence,” the spokesperson said.
“SA NSW may place conditions on any planned development to help protect it from potential subsidence damage.
“In most cases, SA NSW’s development requirements for standard residential development are consistent with the Australian Building Code and do not result in increased construction costs.”
Gunnedah Shire Council’s director of planning and environmental services, Andrew Johns, said to his knowledge, it was the first mine subsidence area to be declared in the shire.
Mr Johns said it was the council’s role to ensure property owners would not experience issues with their development when they put in development applications or complying development certificates.
“Council approves proposals in such a way that owners are less impacted by susidence. In order to do that, the council formally refers affected applications to SA NSW for advice,” he said.
Mr Johns said people who owned property in the new district would have a responsibility to notify potential buyers if they were looking to sell.
The SA NSW spokeperson said property owners could apply for compensation in “the unlikely situation that a house or building is damaged as a result of subsidence”.
“If a home or structure is damaged by subsidence as a result of coal mining in NSW, the property owner can lodge a claim for compensation through SA NSW,” the spokesperson said.
“SA NSW assigns dedicated case advisors to manage each claim from start to finish and provide property owners with a single, responsive point of contact throughout the process.
“Each claim will be assessed by an expert in mine subsidence damage. The assessment process may include an inspection of the damage and engineering investigations. If the damage to a property is found to be the result of mine subsidence, SA NSW will provide the property owner with compensation based on an assessment of the damage.”
A 24-hour emergency hotline (1800 248 083) is available to all members of the public to report subsidence issues presenting safety or serviceability concerns. Once notified of a subsidence safety or serviceability issue, SA NSW coordinates an immediate response to ensure the affected area is made safe.
Property owners can search to find out if their property is within the new district through SA NSW’s interactive mapping system at www.subsidenceadvisory.nsw.gov.au