I live on the loneliest street in Britain after turning down the offer to demolish my house
THE last man standing on the 'loneliest street in Britain' says he won't give in – even after the council increased their offer to demolish his house.
Nick Wisniewski, 67, has absolutely no neighbors despite living in a block of 128 flats.
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About 200 locals have been dumped from their homes after the local authority released plans to demolish the five-storey building in Gowkthrapple, Wishaw, Scotland, a few years ago.
Nick, now the only sole resident, bought his property 22 years ago and has criticized council chiefs for trying to move him.
He bought it through the Right to Buy program and planned to stay there permanently to avoid having to pay rent or a mortgage in retirement.
Nick was originally offered £35,000 for his apartment by North Lanarkshire Council, before it was increased to a whopping £40,000.
But the pensioner still refuses to budge – and even spent thousands on refurbishing his home last year.
The council has since applied for an injunction to remove Nick from the flat.
Nick said: “I bought the flat so that if anything were to happen to my son when I'm not there he would have a roof over his head, but that security has clearly gone now.
“I also bought it to avoid having to pay rent after my retirement, but now that the council has decided to go ahead with these redevelopment plans, I am suddenly expected to pay rent again, why should I? unwilling to leave my own skin.”
Nick said the eight-block area used to be buzzing with about 200 people, but the last residents left in December 2021.
City officials, who want to flatten the area for redevelopment, also offered him two years' rent elsewhere if he moved.
But Nick claims North Lanarkshire Council's offer would not be enough to buy elsewhere.
What are my rights if the municipality wants to demolish my home?
According to Shelter Scotland, if you own your home, the council can only force you to repair or demolish your home if it is dangerous or unsafe.
They can give you advice and support in carrying out the work. If you do not agree, you can appeal the order to the court.
If your home is demolished or you have to move, you can receive compensation.
You can make one of the following claims:
- a home loss payment – to compensate you for the loss of your home
- a disruption compensation – to cover moving costs
- a well-maintained payment – for keeping your home in good condition
You can find more information here.
He said: “When I found out I would be the last person on the street I was really worried there would be problems, but luckily there have been no problems.
'I could be wrong, but I assume the council will wait until they have built the new bungalows and maybe they will offer me one.
“They initially said they would give me two years rent free, but now I would like more than that.
“If they offer me money for the flat it should be around £100,000 now – prices have gone up, everything is more expensive now.”
The council has confirmed that they still plan to progress with the demolition of the block, and are “exploring options” for housing for Nick.
A spokesperson said: “Our contractors are making progress on the demolition of low-rise blocks as part of our ambitious plans to transform this area of Gowkthrapple.
“We continue to explore all available options to provide Mr Wisniewski with suitable alternative accommodation in an effort to avoid the need for a compulsory purchase order.”