Local man responsible for fixing fallen wall, says council, as four foot hole is discovered under road amid fears it could collapse

Locals on South Lane in Holmfirth say the narrow, steep route was built for horses and carts but in recent years has become a cut-through for drivers to avoid the town centre.

A section of the wall fell down last summer.

Recent resurfacing work involving vibrating machinery, as well as the effect of heavy rain, has caused more of the wall to give way.

New photographs show a hole stretching three to four feet under the road.

Huge stones have fallen onto land occupied by joiner Ivan Beardsell, who says the collapse is also threatening his workshop.

Danger from the hazard, which was reported to Kirklees Council last year, has increased and locals fear a full collapse could be imminent.

Mr Beardsell has sought legal advice over the impasse with the council, which, also expressing “real sympathy”, says fixing the wall remains his responsibility as it is on private land.

He said: “It’s got to the stage where it’s not really funny anymore. It’s getting quite serious and the council don’t seem to be listening.”

The roadside above the collapsed section of wall has been fenced off to prevent cars being parked but after the effects of the resurfacing work that is considered to be too little, too late.

Mr Beardsell is being supported in his stand-off with the council by local councillors Donald Firth and Nigel Patrick.

Coun Firth said he had been unable to convince the authority that the wall was its responsibility despite providing letters showing it had previously repaired sections of the same wall.

He said the situation was “beyond frustrating” and called on Kirklees to “do the right thing before the whole bloody lot comes down.”

Across the valley another wall remains in a poor state following a collapse on Burnlee Road.

Debris from that incident following Storm Christophe in January 2021 led to the closure of Burnlee Road.

The collapse also brought down a street light.

Councillor Naheed Mather, the council’s Cabinet Member for Environment, reiterated the authority’s stance that both walls are privately owned and so their repair and maintenance is the responsibility of landowners.

She said: “We are currently working with the owner of the wall at Burnlee Road to try to assist them in addressing the issues.

“We have real sympathy with the owners in both cases, but the council cannot take responsibility for issues such as this when they are on private land.”