THE COMPULSORY purchase of South Littleton Manor moved a step nearer this week now Wychavon District councillors have studied a confidential report from its legal department.

More than a year ago they resolved to look into the matter but at a full council meeting they approved a recommendation to go ahead with the purchase - either with the agreement of the co-owner, Nicholas Parker-Jervis - or without, if urgent repairs are not carried out.

The council's solicitor, Jon Mytton said: "Obviously we would much rather the owners agreed to sell the Manor to us, rather than go through all the legal procedures of compulsory purchase.

Our next stage will involve serving an urgent repairs notice and if it is not complied with within a certain time we will proceed further to acquire the property."

The long drawn out saga concerning the crumbling 17th Century Grade II* manor started more than five years ago when the council got into a dispute with Mr Parker-Jervis over the collapse of his 9ft listed stone boundary wall.

He said he would rather demolish it than repair it, but council contractors were called in to do the work.

The manor is of such historical importance it is regarded as in the top four per cent of buildings in the country, but the 50-roomed house is deteriorating.

Mr Mytton said that if purchase goes ahead the council would pay the co-owners, Mr Parker-Jervis and his wife who does not live at the property, an amount of money based on the value as it now stands. The manor would then be sold on to a contractor who would be obliged to carry out conservation work.

Mr Parker-Jervis was not available for comment before the Journal went to press.