A CHANCER who could have thwarted plans by a community to revitalise a derelict shop has been sent packing.

Just two days before the Forest Council was due to have considered making a compulsory purchase order on the former sweet shop in Parkend, a mystery “owner” stepped forward.

The property in Hughes Terrace has lain derelict for decades and efforts over 10 years to find an owner had drawn a blank.

The council was told the sender of an e-mail, received on Tuesday, July 10 claiming to be the owner was probably the same person who contacted Newent councillor Len Lawton.

A spokesman for the Forest Council said: “The officer simply advised the council that contact had been received, but checks made by ourselves and the CFU (counter fraud unit) demonstrated that this was not a matter that needed consideration.

“The meeting went into exempt mode so full details could be provided to councillors.

“This had absolutely nothing to do with the decision to proceed with the compulsory purchase order.”

The council agreed to make a compulsory purchase order (CPO) of the shop in order to make it available to a community group.

A group linked to the neighbouring Parkend Memorial Hall wants to bring the shop, which closed in the 1980s, back into use.

Cllr Alan Grant (UKIP, Pillowell), said: “I’ve lived in Pillowell nearly 20 years and this place has always been derelict.

“The group are good, sensible people who are more than able to raise the money and turn it into a worthwhile property again.”

But there was criticism from Conservative councillors of the way in which the process had been handled.

Responding to an allegation that the criticism was politically motivated, Tory group leader Cllr Brian Robinson (Mitcheldean) said they were supportive of the principle “but we have a duty as councillors.”

“There may be a claimant, but we can’t talk about it (in open session of the council) and the evasiveness of this group is difficult to follow,” he added.

“We are taking it away from a beneficiary and giving it to a group that doesn’t seem to be able to tell us even basic information.”

But the council’s Cabinet member for infrastructure, Cllr Richard Leppington (UKIP, Bream), insisted officials had carried out “due diligence.”

He said: “The members of this group are solid members of the community, successful businessmen and the leading lights behind the Parkend NDP (Neighbourhood Development Plan.

“They’ve set up a bank account with money in it and have already got extensive plans to fundraise, but they can’t proceed with getting grants or raising more money until they have ownership of the building.”

The money for the purchase will be held in trust for somebody with a legitimate claim to the ownership.

After that it will go to the Treasury and the case could be picked up by so-called heir hunters who track down sometimes distant relations to the last owner.

Cllr Di Martin (Lab, Cinderford East), who seconded the motion to proceed with the CPO, said she hoped the council would take similar action on more properties.

She said: “Throughout the Forest of Dean we have many buildings in poor repair which the community could do something about.”