Council offers £50,000 for home 'empty for 24 years'

A district council has said it will offer more than £50,000 to buy a house that appears to have been unoccupied for more than two decades.

The property at 65 Station Road, in Kegworth, Leicestershire, is understood to have been empty for more than 24 years and has "fallen into disrepair".

On Tuesday, cabinet members at North West Leicestershire District Council (NWLDC) approved an offer to buy the property for £50,525 from the owner, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said.

If the owner fails to accept the council's offer, it said it would use its compulsory purchase order (CPO) powers to acquire the property with the aim of bringing it back into use as a home.

CPOs can result in a lengthy legal process, prompting council officials to recommend buying the home from the owner instead.

During the cabinet meeting, Conservative leader of the council, Councillor Richard Blunt, called it an "incredibly slow, drawn-out process".

He added: "If you live next to this house, it will drive you mad."

Michael Wyatt, deputy leader and portfolio holder for community and climate change at NWLDC, said: "Using our compulsory purchase order (CPO) powers is a legal last resort and not a decision the council takes lightly.

"In fact, this is the first time we have had to pursue this option. Unfortunately, this particular property has stood unoccupied for at least 24 years and has fallen into disrepair during this time.

"I'm hopeful that the offer the council will make to the owner means that it won't be necessary to acquire it via a compulsory purchase order - but that will be the next step if not."

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