Residents of a leafy village have been left outraged after squatters took up residence in a ruined and rubbish-filled bungalow neighboring £1million houses that has been abandoned so long trees are growing out of it.
The home in Mere, Cheshire, branded an ‘eyesore’ and a ‘fire and health hazard’ by neighbours, has been empty for eight years and now the back of the house has collapsed, the roof is leaking and two trees are growing out of the ruins
The bungalow’s windows have also been smashed in and the garden is littered with the previous owner’s belongings.
It dilapidated home stands in stark contrast to nearby properties in Chester Road, in the village near Knutsford, where houses on the street sell for an average price of £695,000.
The two neighboring houses north of the abandoned bungalow are both worth in the region of £1million, according to Zoopla valuation estimates.
The cheapest house on the sale in the area at the moment is on the market for a tidy £500,000, while the most expensive is a whopping £2.3million.
Wealthy residents in the leafy Cheshire village of Mere have been left outraged after squatters moved into an abandoned bungalow
‘The property has already collapsed at the back. We’re worried about where it’s going to fall next,’ one resident said
The house’s windows are also smashed in and the garden is littered with the previous owner’s belongings.
The home in Mere, Cheshire, branded an ‘eyesore’ a ‘fire and health hazard’ by neighbours, has been empty for eight years and now the back of the house has collapsed, the roof is leaking and two trees are growing out of the ruins
The bungalow has been abandoned for so long that two trees have started to grow out of it, doing huge amounts of damage to the roof
A map which shows the location of the rotting bungalow on Chester Road in Mere, which neighbors two houses worth £1m
The previous occupiers of the bungalow are believed to have been an elderly mother and her two children, who lived at the property from 1999 to 2014 and moved out of the area.
The bungalow is around half a mile from The Mere Golf Resort and Spa, where rooms start from around £160 a night.
One resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said: ‘It is an eyesore, an absolute monstrosity.
‘People don’t even know there is a house here, it is hidden by so many trees. You can’t even walk along the pavement because it is so overgrown.
‘The property has already collapsed at the back. We’re worried about where it’s going to fall next.
‘It is now a danger and a health and fire hazard.’
It is believed that squatters have been residing in the property, as one neighbor saw lots of lights on, later went round and found loads of candles had been lit.
The neighbor, who did not want to be identified, said: ‘There is no gas or electricity, this is a fire risk. Neighbors put up fencing after they found a car parked outside.
‘It is not acceptable. We shouldn’t have to put up with this.
‘We just wish they would board it up, clear the site and make it safe.’
The house’s windows are also smashed in and the garden is littered with the previous owner’s belongings
‘People don’t even know there is a house here, it is hidden by so many trees. You can’t even walk along the pavement because it is so overgrown’
The roof of the bungalow is leaking and is slowly caving in. It is believed that squatters have been residing in the property, as one neighbor saw lots of lights on, later went round and found loads of candles had been lit
Looking into the house, it looks as if time has stood still for eight years.
There is a television in the corner with a remote control balanced on top and pictures from the previous owners are still on the wall.
But sofas have been overturned and pots and pans are covered across the carpet.
The garden is covered in weeds, with a child’s bike left abandoned next to a barbecue.
Another resident fumed: ‘We just can’t understand why nothing is being done.
‘We have complained to Cheshire East Council.
‘This could be a lovely family home.’
Inside the bungalow, sofas have been overturned and pots and pans are covered across the carpet and pictures from the previous owners are still on the wall
There is a television in the corner of the bungalow with a remote control balanced on top
A spokesman for Cheshire East Council said: ‘The council is aware of the condition of this property.
‘It is currently involved in a legal process aimed at resolving outstanding matters.
‘Until these matters are resolved, there is no further comment the council can give at this time.’