A ruinous house in Douglas has been partially knocked down after the council was granted a demolition order.

The move comes after a long-running battle to force the owner to make essential repairs to the house, on Princes Street, which neighbours say has been empty for 30 years.

This week the bulldozers rolled in, toppling a dilapidated outhouse at the back of the terrace.

This week’s work comes after a protracted legal wrangle with Mec Vannin chairman Mark Kermode and KBS Ltd, a company he owns that, in turn, owns the house.

Mr Kermode had exploited a loophole that ensured he didn’t have to pay for repairs to a dilapidated house, an investigation by the Isle of Man Examiner revealed in May.

He foiled legal action against KBS Ltd by Douglas Council by selling the house to a family member for £1.

Mr Kermode is the sole director of KBS Ltd.

The Manx Independent approached Mr Kermode for comment but he did not respond.

The council has footed the bill for this week’s work.

Councillor Debbie Pitts said: ’Unfortunately, ratepayers are bearing the cost but we will try to reclaim the money.’

Once demolition has been completed, builders will brick up windows and doors at the rear of the property.

In the space of seven years, the council issued five Section 24 notices on the owner requiring repair work to be done. In 2017 a notice was halted when the property twice changed hands for £1 within Mr Kermode’s family.

Section 24 of the 1991 Building Control Act gives power to the council to require an owner of a property to repair or demolish all or part of a building that is in a ’ruinous, dilapidated or neglected condition... detrimental to the amenities of the neighbourhood’.

A neighbour and residents’ association member who did not want to be named, said: ’It’s been a long time coming and we are delighted.

’The contractors seem to be very good and I understand they are sealing up the back of the house as well to make it secure.’

She added the back of the house had resembled a bomb site with a whole side missing from the extension, rooms inside visible and slates falling from the roof into adjoining neighbours’ yards.

pigeons

For years she said pigeons had roosted inside the property and could sometimes be seen flying at the windows inside trying to find a way out of the building.

’Residents here made a big effort to make their properties look good and lift the whole street so we are delighted and hugely relieved to see progress,’ she said.

At the August meeting of Douglas Council, environmental services committee chairman Councillor Ritchie McNicholl told members: ’We have now obtained a demolition order and will commence work on the outhouse.’

Councillor Natalie Byron (St George’s), a member of the council’s environmental services committee, that deals with run down properties in the borough, said the lengthy proceedings to tackle these problems highlighted a problem with the system.

’I know several notices had been served and there was a concern it was becoming dangerous. Parts were open so there were also concerns about children going in,’ she said.

’It has been a very long and ongoing process.’