The man who built a cabin in woods is going to have to wait for a court hearing in the spring to find out if he can carry on living there.

Deemster John Needham has set down a date for the hearing into whether Dan Richardson, who built a cabin in the woods above Ramsey, can stay there.

Mr Richardson has been living ’off grid’ in his home, in Glen above the Crossags, where he grows his own food, uses river water and clears up the woodland for 18 months.

In 2004, Mr Richardson carried out 50 hours of community service at the neighbouring camping ground after bringing a squirrel - deemed an invasive species in Manx law - to the island.

He then earned the nickname Squirrel Dan.

The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture has taken Mr Richardson to court claiming he is trespassing on publicly-owned land, by a few metres, so needs to go.

However, as stated in an interim judgment released by Deemster Needham, ownership of the land has yet to be fully determined.

On Thursday, the parties met in court to set out the full details of the hearing which will be held on February 22.

During this hearing, Mr Richardson confirmed he intends to instruct a surveyor, due to provide a report to both parties by the second week of December, to help his case, while the DEFA has said it intends to call two ’expert witnesses’.

Mr Richardson also confirmed that following a change in circumstances, he will be again applying for legal aid, having previously been denied it.

The Deemster advised him to tell the legal aid service of the importance of a speedy decision in that matter.

We first reported of the court battle between Mr Richardson and DEFA last year when we interviewed him in his home.

At the time, we said Mr Richardson has built his home for a total cost of £77, with many materials and items donated to him by well-wishers. He said the hut had become his ’solution to a potential homeless problem’.

When he appeared in court last week, Mr Richardson was supported by a group of friends and supporters, as well as one of his MHKs, Daphne Caine.

Mr Richardson told Isle of Man Newspapers last year that if he loses, it would make him homeless and reliant on government for help to find somewhere to live, something he doesn’t want.

He said: ’I’ve never taken a penny from the state and I don’t want or need financial assistance or a flat in town.

’If I was living in a flat, being helped by the government, I’d actually be quite sad as there are people who need it and I don’t because I have my cabin.’

Fully aware of how he may be viewed by people, Mr Richardson admits he may be described ’as an oddball’ but counters that by saying: ’More people should be encouraged to live like me, semi- sustainable and caring for the environment.’