Somerset road still closed more than 18 months after huge landslip in East Chinnock

The future of a road which has been closed for more than 18 months after a huge landslip near Yeovil will be at the centre of a public meeting this month.

Chinnock Hollow has been closed since 21 February 2021 when 20 tonnes of rock and sand, as well as a tree, slid down the wall into the road.

Somerset County Council's hHighways team will hold a meeting at Corr Farm, East Chinnock on 12 October to outline the next steps.

The council says this will allow the team to bring people up to speed and enable members of the public to ask questions and share their views.

Following an investigation into the landslip, engineers revealed there was a substantial risk of another landslide at the site, potentially even larger.

The report outlined four options ranging from keeping the road closed to fully strengthening all the key areas at risk.

The council says that all the options to reopen the road are expensive and funding would need to be approved.

Somerset County Council’s lead member for transport and digital Councillor Mike Rigby said: “We have a duty to keep the public safe and it’s clear we need to remove the substantial risk of further landslides before we can consider reopening the road.

“We cannot simply clear the debris and carry on as before – that’s not an option here, and that’s why we have carried out a painstaking process involving extensive investigations and two detailed reports.

“We are now exploring a possible way forward but we also have to be realistic about funding given the current financial climate, the soaring cost of materials, and the pressures on all our budgets.

“We look forward to meeting with the public, talking through the options and challenges, and listening to their thoughts and concerns.”

The meeting takes place at 7pm on 12 October at Cott Farm Barn East Chinnock, Yeovil BA22 9ES.