The derelict house in Pollerton

A DERELICT house in Pollerton that was gutted by fire on three separate occasions has been knocked by the council following health and safety concerns.

The privately-owned home had fallen into disrepair in the past number of years and was being used as a hub for anti-social behaviour, according to local residents.

On Sunday 22 September, an early morning demolition crew moved into place to flatten the house.

Less than two weeks after a third fire destroyed the premises, council officials ordered the demolition of the house, which was a constant source of concern for local residents.

“A bulldozer moved in at 9.20am on Sunday morning to finally put an end to anti-social behaviour and, more importantly, the danger that was the derelict house at Pollerton,” explained one local man, who did not wish to be named.

The man, who lives near the vacant property, added that there were major safety concerns for the many young people who were “going in and out” of the house.

Cllr Wayne Fennell, who has regularly called on the council to act on the dangerous premises, was “relieved” to see it knocked.

“Everybody’s relieved. It really was a nuisance. There was a lot of anti-social behaviour and three fires –a lot of alarm bells were raised. It was health and safety more than anything else,” added cllr Fennell.

It is understood that the cost of the fire service’s call outs and the demolition action will be covered by the owners.

Demolition of the house in progress