Subsidence risk in DH1 — postcode checker
Ground stability by postcode for Durham: BGS clay shrink-swell, coalfield status, recorded landslides and the radon band around DH1.
The area around DH1 sits on the coalfield (a coal Low Risk Area).
The area around DH1 sits on the coalfield (a coal Low Risk Area). This is AREA-LEVEL British Geological Survey screening around the DH1 representative point — generalised for national overview, on ~50 m to hex-scale grids — so it describes the neighbourhood, never a single property. Subsidence risk turns on the exact plot, foundations, trees and drainage, so a specific-address check and, if flagged, a survey are essential before you offer.
The three ground-movement drivers around DH1
Clay shrink-swell (climate)
Improbable → ImprobableBGS GeoClimate UKCP18 rates the clay shrink-swell subsidence class around DH1 as Improbable for the 2030 Average scenario and holding at Improbable to 2070. Clay soils shrink in dry summers and swell when wet — the UK's commonest subsidence cause.
Coal & mining
Low Risk AreaDevelopment Low Risk Area record matched at the postcode point. A Development High Risk Area was returned within ~200 m. This is mapped screening context, not a finding about the condition of a building.
Coal risk is recorded property by property in a CON29M coal-authority search. Browse coal mining search by area for the recorded coalfields.
Recorded landslides
4 nearbyThe BGS National Landslide Database records 4 landslide events within roughly 1.4 km of the DH1 representative point. Recorded events indicate slope instability in the wider area, not at any single property.
- St Hilds' CollegeDurham · date unknown
- Durham City CarriagewayDurham · date unknown
- Peelaw WoodDurham, County Durham · 2013
Radon band (area context)
Class 2/6The UKHSA/BGS Indicative Atlas puts the 1 km tile (NZ2843) around DH1 in radon class 2 of 6 — 1–3% of homes estimated at or above the radon Action Level. Radon is a separate ground gas hazard, not a cause of subsidence, but it is part of the same below-ground picture. See the DH1 radon breakdown.
Indicative, area-level ground-stability screening — not a site investigation. Ratings are generalised for national overview uses and do not replace a Coal Mining Risk Assessment or site-specific geotechnical survey. These bands describe the ground around the DH1 area on BGS national-overview grids — they are never a property-specific rating, and carry no distance-to-mine-shaft claim. Whether a specific home is at risk depends on its plot, foundations, trees and drainage.
Check a specific DH1 address
This page is the area picture. The £24.99 Complete report runs the clay, coal and landslide ground screen against one exact address, alongside flood, radon and the other checks — the full ground-and-risk picture before you offer.
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Frequently asked questions
Is DH1 at risk of subsidence?
The area around DH1 sits on the coalfield (a coal Low Risk Area). These are area-level indicators from the British Geological Survey and Mining Remediation Authority — they describe the ground around DH1, not any single home. Whether a specific property is affected depends on its plot, foundations, nearby trees and drainage, so check the exact address and, if flagged, commission a survey.
What causes subsidence in this area?
The three area-level drivers we screen are: clay shrink-swell (clay soils shrinking in dry summers and swelling when wet — the commonest UK cause, worsening with climate change), past coal or other mining (ground disturbance from historic workings), and recorded landslides (slope instability). Trees, leaking drains and made ground are property-level factors a survey assesses.
Does a subsidence flag stop me getting a mortgage or insurance?
Not automatically. Area-level ground risk can raise buildings-insurance premiums or prompt a lender to ask for a survey, especially if a property has a history of movement. A tribunal- or survey-confirmed subsidence claim is more material than an area screening. Always get a buildings-insurance quote on the specific address before you commit.
How do I check subsidence risk for a specific DH1 address?
Ground stability is assessed at the property, not the outcode. The HouseCheckup Complete report runs the clay, coal and landslide screen against one exact address and pairs it with the flood, radon and other ground checks — the full picture before you offer.
Sources
- GeoClimate UKCP18 shrink-swell — British Geological Survey
- Coal Development Risk Areas — Mining Remediation Authority
- National Landslide Database — British Geological Survey
- Outcode geocoding — postcodes.io
Contains Mining Remediation Authority data © Mining Remediation Authority, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains British Geological Survey materials © UKRI 2026 (GeoClimate UKCP18 Open). Contains British Geological Survey materials © UKRI 2026, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.