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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Athena Stavrou & John Bett

Life inside 'Britain's Chernobyl' - ghost town with £6k homes and just 5 residents

One of the last residents in a derelict estate dubbed 'Britain's Chernobyl' says he won't leave - even though it's been earmarked for demolition.

Marshal Craig, 70, lives in Clune Park, which is so rundown it looks like it could be the set for a post-apocalyptic film.

Built in 1905, the 430 flats in Port Glasgow in Inverclyde, Scotland, were largely abandoned in 1997 - but Marshal has stood firm, refusing to move out.

Now a ghost town, the area has some of the cheapest properties in Britain - with one flat selling for just £6,000 in 2020.

The streets are covered in litter and it's a regular target for arson attacks.

The estate used to be privately owned but Inverclyde Council has bought more than half of the properties and wants to demolish the lot.

But first, they'll have to evict Marshal, who is refusing to leave his home - as he believes the area is "idyllic".

Marshal knows the area is rough, but to him it's "idyllic" (Katielee Arrowsmith / SWNS)
Many windows in Clune Park have been smashed (Katielee Arrowsmith / SWNS)

What do you think about the estate? Let us know in the comments...

The retired forestry worker said: "I've lived here for 20 years all in all and four years in this particular house.

''Quite frankly, I don't want to move and I'm quite happy here.

"I know it's rough sometimes and people come in and smash stuff but I'm perfectly happy here and I don't want to leave.

The local council wants to tear down Clune Park (Katielee Arrowsmith / SWNS)

"In some ways it's quite idyllic. My house is built like a castle. The walls are thick and sturdy, there's a nice view and no dampness.

"The only thing the view from my kitchen window is missing is a few palm trees!"

Marshal said there are only five residents that still live in Clune Park, and they all reside in the same area of one block.

The area is a target for arson attacks (Katielee Arrowsmith / SWNS)

The estate used to house a lot of shipyard workers who were employed nearby, but they moved out in the late 1990s.

Marshal continued: "When I first moved here there was a lot more people, but now it's pretty much empty.

"Now, out of the 480 families that would be able to stay here, there's only five of us left holding down the fort.

Some have described the area as 'Britain's Chernobyl' (Katielee Arrowsmith / SWNS)

"They're great neighbours. I think I'll be tying myself to the radiator if they make me move out."

The rundown estate is a regular haunt of urban explorers who relish the post-apocalyptic feel of the place, with many smashed windows, litter, and fires.

The council are so keen to get rid of Clune Park, that they are pursuing a compulsory purchase order in January to demolish the whole thing.

Urban explorers love to film in Clune Park (Katielee Arrowsmith / SWNS)

In its place, they intend to build 100-120 new homes.

Marshal added: "These are good solid buildings. Why not just do this place up and house people in them that need them.

"There is some anti-social behaviour usually late at night. The fire damage and broken windows are the worst thing.

"I probably call the fire brigade more than anyone else and when I hear a fire engine now I don't even get up to see what's going on anymore.

The area is largely abandoned now, with only five residents remaining (Katielee Arrowsmith / SWNS)

''It's just part of the background now.

"That all happens in the other three blocks though. Where we are at the end of the fourth block is absolutely fine.

"I'm really happy here, it's my home and I've lived here for 20 years so I don't want to go."

The council has bought many flats in the area (Katielee Arrowsmith / SWNS)

The semi-derelict estate has been dubbed 'Britain's Chernobyl' by some, and the majority of nearby residents snub the estate, which houses small flats, with 69 bedsits, 310 one-bedroom flats and 51 two-bedroom flats.

Inverclyde Council has already acquired over 50 per cent of the housing on the estate and are attempting to purchase the remaining properties.

A spokesperson for Inverclyde Council said: "It remains our ambition to acquire properties at Clune Park to allow for the delivery of long term regeneration of the area.

Marshal is refusing to leave his home (Katielee Arrowsmith / SWNS)

"While progress has been frustratingly slow and costly, the ambition still remains and discussions are continuing to achieve this aim at the earliest possible opportunity."

No formal decision has been taken by the council in respect of the CPO.

But Clune Park has been identified in the Inverclyde Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2023-28 for approximately 100-120 units.

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