Treasury Minister David Ashford says he would personally be in favour of the idea of compulsory purchase for derelict properties.

This allows public authorities to acquire land without owner consent.

He stressed that this was a ‘very much a personal view’ [not policy] and that it would need to have a court process behind it.

Mr Ashford had been asked by Castletown, Arbory and Malew MHK Jason Moorhouse whether consideration had been given to a rates escalator to increase the amounts payable on derelict properties.

He replied that Treasury was not actively considering it.

Mr Ashford said that when he was chairman of Douglas Council Public Works Committee, he found legislation for dealing with derelict properties was, and still is, ‘unwieldy’.