Demolition means green light for regeneration scheme

Andrew Ratajczak fought a lengthy battle with Blackpool Council over his home in Tyldesley Road.

He said he spent thousands doing it up as holiday accommodation only to be left furious when the three-storey former hotel was made subject to a compulsory purchase order as part of the Foxhall Village development.

Mr Ratajczak, 56, took on the local authority over the threat to tear down his home, holding up demolition work at the site for more than two years.

He finally left the property in November last year, following a successful completion of the compulsory purchase process.

But it took another eight months for the site to finally be levelled.

A Blackpool Council spokesman said: “We can confirm the property in question was demolished in early June and the site is now ready for the developers.

“Due to legal sensitivities we are not able to go into any details of the deal reached with Mr Ratajczak.

“The developers for the scheme are hoping work on the final phase will begin early in 2018.”

It is understood hundreds of thousands of pounds have been paid out to the owners of the houses and former hotels demolished to make way for the scheme.

Cleaning company boss Mr Ratajczak paid £35,000 for his house.

The Foxhall Village scheme is a 410-home project being built by Hollingwood Homes.

It promises to regenerate what had become a run down area of the resort. The development has been built in stages.