Council to buy home empty for nearly 15 years
A HOUSE that has been left rotting for nearly 15 years is being bought by Leicester City Council using a compulsory purchase order.
The property, in Ocean Road, Thurnby Lodge, has been empty since April 12, 2007.
The council said it has attempted to contact the owner multiple times to try to bring the property back into use, without success.
The council said: “A compulsory purchase order is sought because the property has been vacant for over 14 years and the owner has not responded to the council’s requests to bring the property back into use.
“Achieving this will contribute towards our strategic objective to ‘Improve our environment to make neighbourhoods and the city centre places for people to be proud of.’
“This will also assist in creating thriving safe communities, improving wellbeing and health, promoting neighbourhood sustainability and preventing areas from becoming rundown.
“This action is being taken as a last resort as the owner has failed to co-operate by taking action to bring the property back into use.
“The owner has failed to respond to council officers’ various attempts to contact them.
“Without a compulsory purchase order it is very likely that the property will remain unimproved and unoccupied.”
The order was approved on December 15.
Neighbours had complained about the property, as well as an abandoned house next door, calling them both disgusting. A woman living near to the abandoned homes told the Mercury work had been started on the properties in the past but they have been left untouched for a long time.
“It used to be okay because there was a big wooden fence and trees and a bit of wildlife. Now it just looks disgusting,” the neighbour said.
She said the abandoned homes have been broken into several times and the police called on several occasions.
“It’s just horrible,” she said. “It’s a disgrace.”