BGS & Mining Remediation Authority: area-level, Great Britain

Subsidence risk in ST1: postcode checker

Ground stability by postcode for Stoke-on-Trent: BGS clay shrink-swell, coalfield status, recorded landslides and the radon band around ST1.

The area around ST1 sits in a coal Development High Risk Area, where past mining can affect ground stability.

The area around ST1 sits in a coal Development High Risk Area, where past mining can affect ground stability. This is AREA-LEVEL British Geological Survey screening around the ST1 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 ST1

Clay shrink-swell (climate)

Improbable → Improbable

BGS GeoClimate UKCP18 rates the clay shrink-swell subsidence class around ST1 as Improbable for the 2030 Average scenario and holding at Improbable to 2070. Clay soils shrink in dry summers and swell when wet, which is the UK's commonest subsidence cause.

Coal & mining

High Risk Area

Development High Risk Area record matched at the postcode point. Ask about the relevant property-specific mining search and any development assessment.

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

2 nearby

The BGS National Landslide Database records 2 landslide events within roughly 1.4 km of the ST1 representative point. Recorded events indicate slope instability in the wider area, not at any single property.

  • Eros CresentBirches Head, Staffordshire, England · date unknown
  • Leek RoadHanley, Staffordshire, England · date unknown

Radon band (area context)

Class 1/6

The UKHSA/BGS Indicative Atlas puts the 1 km tile (SJ8847) around ST1 in radon class 1 of 6 (less than 1% 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 ST1 radon breakdown.

Ground hazards across the ST1 area (BGS GeoSure)

The British Geological Survey rates six natural ground hazards on a 5 km hexagonal grid across Great Britain. Each line below gives the rating for the cell the ST1 representative point falls in and how far away the nearest higher-rated cell begins. That is the half that matters, because a Low cell can sit a few hundred metres from a Significant one. See where this cell sits on the Great Britain subsidence map.

  • Collapsible deposits

    Low

    Collapsible deposits: Low across this 65 km² area (BGS GeoSure 5 km cell); the nearest Moderate-rated cell begins about 199.9 km SE.

  • Compressible ground

    Low

    Compressible ground: Low across this 65 km² area (BGS GeoSure 5 km cell); the nearest Significant-rated cell begins about 23.6 km SE.

    BGS advisory: Areas of localised significant rating.

  • Landslide (slope instability)

    Moderate

    Landslide (slope instability): Moderate across this 65 km² area (BGS GeoSure 5 km cell); the nearest Significant-rated cell begins about 4.9 km E.

    BGS advisory: Areas of localised significant rating.

  • Running sand

    Low

    Running sand: Low across this 65 km² area (BGS GeoSure 5 km cell); the nearest Moderate-rated cell begins about 23.6 km SE.

  • Shrink–swell (clay subsidence)

    Low

    Shrink–swell (clay subsidence): Low across this 65 km² area (BGS GeoSure 5 km cell); the nearest Moderate-rated cell begins about 25.5 km SW.

  • Soluble rocks (dissolution / sinkholes)

    Low

    Soluble rocks (dissolution / sinkholes): Low across this 65 km² area (BGS GeoSure 5 km cell); the nearest Significant-rated cell begins about 8.1 km NW.

Mining hazard other than coal

Non-coal mining: low likelihood across this 2.6 km² area (BGS 1 km cell): "Localised small scale mining may have occurred in the area."; the nearest Moderate-rated cell begins about 8.2 km N.

This is the BGS mining hazard dataset that EXCLUDES coal. A rating of NA means no record of NON-COAL mining (tin, lead, salt, limestone, chalk and similar); it says nothing about coal. Coal risk is screened separately against the Mining Remediation Authority development risk areas.

BGS attaches a standing advisory note to every cell in one or more of the layers above. Because it applies to the whole of Great Britain it says nothing about ST1, so it is not shown here as a finding.

BGS notice: "Not suitable for local or site specific analysis, data is generalised for national overview uses only"

These ratings describe an area, not a building. The GeoSure cell above covers about 65 km², and the mining cell about 2.6 km². Which side of a cell edge a house falls on is arbitrary, so read the distances above as carefully as the ratings. Only a site investigation speaks to a plot.

Contains British Geological Survey materials © UKRI 2026. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Open Government Licence v3.0. BGS GeoSure 5 km hex grid + BGS Mining hazard (not including coal) 1 km hex grid, product version Version 8.

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 ST1 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 ST1 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. That is the full ground-and-risk picture before you offer.

Type the full address with its postcode to go straight to your report options. Try .

Get My Full Property Report (£24.99)Ground-stability tool

Frequently asked questions

Is ST1 at risk of subsidence?

The area around ST1 sits in a coal Development High Risk Area, where past mining can affect ground stability. These are area-level indicators from the British Geological Survey and Mining Remediation Authority. They describe the ground around ST1, 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, which is the commonest UK cause and 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 ST1 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

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.