Alan Bourne, a landlord in Stoke, is having to fight Stoke City Council to be awarded compensation when he found out that his house was demolished as part of the council's regeneration project.

 

Without any agreement being finalised Bourne was shocked to find that when he visited his property last year in Middleport Stoke, all that was left was just a pile of bricks and mortar.

 

Stoke-on-Trent City Council had previously sent through a CPO (compulsory purchase order) on the house in Middleport, and stated that they tried to negotiate a settlement to pay Mr Bourne.

 

Mr Bourne, who has a portfolio of 30 properties in the area, says that he was not given enough time to accept an agreement before the council went ahead and bulldozed the property down.

The council apparently offered Bourne £30,000 and he is seeking legal advice.

 

Mr Bourne, of Newcastle-under-Lyme, said: "The mortgage on the house was £40,000. It's insulting that they've offered me £10,000 less than what it's worth.

"I will continue to fight them until they offer me what I'm owed – it's the principle."