The Scottish Government will decide the fate of the “last man standing” on a housing estate set for demolition by the local council.
Retired bank worker Nick Wisnewski has been living on his own in the derelict Stanhope Place buildings in Wishaw for three years.
The 68-year-old is the final resident in the Gowkthrapple scheme amid North Lanarkshire Council’s plans to demolish the estate and build 300 new homes.
There was once around 200 people living on the estate and 128 flats are set to be levelled as part of a regeneration project.
But Nick says the authority’s offers to buy him out haven’t been good enough for him to give up his home – and he is refusing to budge.
He turned down offers of £35,000 and £40,000 from the council to buy it back, as he claimed it would not allow him to purchase a new home.
Councillors have agreed to promote a compulsory purchase order for the flat. The dispute is now set to go before the Scottish Government.
It will assess the case and also consider any objections before coming to a conclusion. The council say they are continuing to work with him to bring the stand-off to an end.
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