The town that's sliding down a hill: Residents fear their homes will 'fall down at any moment' as walls crack apart and dust rains down

Terrified families are living in fear that their homes will collapse at any minute due to major subsidence issues which could force them to soon be knocked down.

People living in a Surrey neighbourhood fear 'disaster will strike' and their 1930s homes collapse or slip down due to subsidence.

Up to 1,000 homes in Guilford face being demolished or regenerated in some form due to subsidence.

It has been caused by shallow foundations in the clay soil in which the properties were built.

Thirty-five council-owned houses are standing empty because of the issue, with many other privately owned properties also facing the same problem.

Families face seeing huge cracks in inside and outside walls constantly emerge, leading them to fear their homes will fall down. Some are unable to close doors or windows.

The problem centres in the Park Barn and Westborough areas. 

The issue is particularly bad when the clay gets wet, as locals say it then moves, and when it dries, it also moves. Many homes are also on a hillside.

Pregnant mum Emma Young, 27, who said she lives in 'constant fear' explains: 'We moved in January and could see no evidence of issues. We have a private landlord.

'Then cracks have continued to emerge since then. It's terrible. We cannot open our front door. Cracks are coming through the walls and the bricks all the time. It's no way to live.

'I have a young son and another baby on the way. It is not safe. I fear the house could all fall down at any moment. What if it all falls on us? We wouldn't stand a chance.'

Emma said the family were looking to move out 'as soon as possible', adding: 'It's causing fire risks everywhere. We're having to use the backdoor. If there's a fire at the back, christ knows what will happen.

'It's a complete nightmare. We just want a nice family home. Quite often, we can be sitting there and you can hear the dust falling down because of the subsidence.

'The house just feels like it's slowly falling down. One day it might just all give way. That's my worry. It's horrendous.'

Mum Kristine Osborne, 30, also faces the issue of cracks emerging in her property where she lives with her family. A door upstairs also cannot open.

Her immediate nextdoor house has been sealed off, is being up with scaffolding and metal supports, with nobody living inside it.

Many others in the area also have the same support structures around them. Kristine said: 'We've been waiting to move for four years. Ours is a council house.

'Our front door is stuck and there's cracks everywhere. It's really bad. They've just grown in time. There's not really much we can do. We're just waiting.

'Everything was fine when we first moved in. It's just gotten worse since then. The plan is to knock this down but they need to find us somewhere to go first.'

Another private resident in the area said she feared her house would also collapse. She said: 'It's terrifying. I have no idea what will happen. We sit there thinking a disaster will strike.'

Pensioner Alastair Montgomery, 88, lives in a council-owned property which is also impacted.

He has suffered a heart attack and has other health issues but is adamant he will not move out.

He said: 'I'm going nowhere. The cracks first appeared three or four years ago, it's fine. I am very happy here. It has everything I need. Unless they said, it was going to collapse now, which it won't, then I am not leaving.' 

The scale of the demolition and what comes after is yet to be decided by Guildford Borough Council.

Councillor Julia McShane, Leader of the Council and Lead Councillor for Housing, said: 'The Westborough and Park Barn Better Homes Programme is moving forward, with community engagement due to begin in early November. 

'Residents will be able to share their views through local events, an online survey, and direct phone and email channels.

'The programme aims to improve homes and neighbourhoods, while ensuring residents play a central role in shaping future proposals. At this stage, no decisions have been made.

'We’re working with a specialist community engagement team to help us hear from as many people as possible and understand what matters most to residents, including tenants, leaseholders, homeowners, families, young people, older residents and local organisations.

'Residents’ feedback will play an important role in developing the next phase of the programme. By listening to local experiences, priorities and hopes for the future, we can help ensure plans reflect the needs of the community and create lasting benefits for Westborough and Park Barn. 

'We’ll publish more information on the community engagement programme in the coming weeks and encourage everyone to get involved.

'We’re also working to make immediate improvements in the area. Some Council-owned homes are affected by structural issues, and we’re actively managing these concerns while supporting affected tenants. 

'We continue to inspect and monitor properties closely, taking action where needed to help keep residents safe and supported.

'Demolition work is progressing on several Council-owned empty homes. Removing these vacant properties will address safety concerns and support wider improvements to the area while longer-term plans are developed.'

She later added: 'Many of the homes in Westborough and Park Barn were built between the 1930s and 1970s. As with other ageing homes across the country, some properties are affected by subsidence. 

'This is primarily linked to the shallow foundations used in older buildings and the area's London Clay soil, which expands and contracts in response to changes in moisture levels over time.

'We are taking a proactive and long-term approach to address these challenges. In March, we launched a major initiative to improve housing and public spaces, while placing residents at the heart of shaping plans for their community.

'The safety and wellbeing of our tenants is our highest priority. We continue to complete comprehensive inspections and monitoring of Council-owned homes, acting swiftly where intervention is needed. 

'Where properties are found to be structurally unsafe and no longer suitable for occupation, we are moving forward with demolition while ensuring affected residents receive appropriate support. 

'Alongside managing immediate issues, our Better Homes Programme provides a once-in-a-generation opportunity to deliver safer, more sustainable homes and a stronger future for the local community.'