THE “last man standing” on a housing estate set for demolition has vowed to stay – as the council starts legal action to kick him out.
Retired bank worker Nick Wisniewski, 68, has been living on his own in the derelict Stanhope Place buildings for the last three years.
He is the final resident there amid council plans to demolish the estate and build 300 new homes.
The buildings in Wishaw in Scotland once contained around 200 residents in 128 flats and are set to be demolished as part of a regeneration project.
But Nick says their offers to buy him out haven’t been good enough for him to give up his home – and he won’t budge.
North Lanarkshire Council’s planning committee has now agreed to push for a compulsory planning order on his flat so the redevelopment can go ahead.
But Nick told the Daily Record: “I’m sticking it out until I hear from the council.”
Nick, who purchased the property from the council in 2017, to avoid paying rent in his retirement, says he has been offered £35,000 for the flat – but says that’s not enough to buy another home.
He says that despite being the last person remaining, he has no plans to move.
Speaking previously, he said: “When people left they just dumped old cookers, mattresses, washing machine outside, it was a mess.
“The council just left the flats lying empty after people moved out.
“There is no security and people could get into the empty flats and lots of windows have been broken.
“Thankfully I haven’t had any trouble. The grass is badly overgrown, it’s ridiculous.
“I think the council are leaving it unkept to annoy me or in the hope I get fed up and leave.
“They offered me £35,000 for my flat and two years’ rent free somewhere else.
“But I am not prepared to start paying rent again and £35,000 is not enough to buy somewhere new.
“You’re talking £80,000 to £100,000 to get somewhere new. I’m worried that I don’t know where I am going to end up living.
“I didn’t work all my life to have my home taken from me when I am too old to get a mortgage on something else.
“It would be so hard to leave my home.”
A representative from North Lanarkshire Council’s planning and regeneration department said there would be “appropriate compensation” for Nick, adding that “The council will continue to try to negotiate with him for voluntary acquisition in parallel with the CPO process.”
The Sun has approached the council for further comment.
