Could Ripon be about to see its next sinkhole? - Resident's plea for drilling to stop

A Ripon resident fears the city could be about to see its next sinkhole, and has urged Harrogate Borough Council to cease ground testing work at Ripon leisure centre immediately.
Ripon resident Stanley Mackintosh fears that the sinkhole which opened up next to Ripon leisure centre in February 2018 is active again.Ripon resident Stanley Mackintosh fears that the sinkhole which opened up next to Ripon leisure centre in February 2018 is active again.
Ripon resident Stanley Mackintosh fears that the sinkhole which opened up next to Ripon leisure centre in February 2018 is active again.

A sinkhole opened up next to the leisure centre in February, and Stanley Mackintosh believes that drilling to prepare for Ripon's new swimming pool has reactivated it.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He told the 'Gazette: "I find it hard to imagine how building a safe swimming pool here could be feasible. Meanwhile, exploratory borehole drilling in the Ripon gypsum karst area should be completely prohibited.

"The site is part of a vast complex of ancient sinkholes arcing around the south, east and north of central Ripon which are often reactivated or extended by borehole drilling and other ill-considered interventions."

Harrogate Borough Council has confirmed that leisure centre staff are monitoring the site, but don't believe that the area identified (pictured) by Mr Mackintosh currently poses any threat.

The story so far: