The last resident of a housing estate is refusing to leave his home despite receiving a £40k offer from the council.
Nick Wisniewski, 67, lives on an estate in Gowkthrapple, Wishaw, Scotland, which is set for demolition.
He bought his flat 22-years-ago when the site housed more than 200 people, through the Right to Buy scheme and planned to stay there permanently after retiring. Despite multiple attempts by North Lanarkshire Council to buy the property, Nick has turned down all offers, including an increased offer of £40,000.
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The council has now applied for a Compulsory Purchase Order to remove Nick from the flat, and he’s also the subject of a new documentary called Exile on Stanhope Place. Speaking to STV News, Nick said: ”I bought the flat so that if anything happened to my son when I’m not here, he’d have a roof over his head, but that safety is obviously gone now.
“I also bought it to save me paying rent after retirement, but now because the council have decided to go ahead with these redevelopment plans, I’m suddenly expected to start paying rent again, why should I? I’m not prepared to leave myself skint.”
Now, local Wishaw filmmaker Ryan Pollock has made a documentary about Nick’s fight with the council, and is “hoping to make some noise about what’s going on and bring the community’s attention to it”.
He said: “It’s an indictment on our country that a pensioner is being treated like this and will remain so until he gets a fair deal.” North Lanarkshire Council is still planning to knock down the block and is looking at where Nick can live next.
A spokesperson for the council stated: “Our contractors are progressing with the demolition of low-rise blocks as part of our ambitious plans to transform this area of Gowkthrapple.”
“We continue to explore all options available to provide Mr Wisniewski with suitable alternative housing, to try to avoid the need to use a Compulsory Purchase Order.”
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