BY BERYL PATEMAN

BATTLING Alan Nuttall's bid to remain in his Valley Road home could come to a head over the next few months.

The compulsory purchase order the borough council has placed on the lone resident holding out on the former Moathouse Estate at Crewe has been activated and he faces eviction.

He no longer owns the house he claims should be saved from being bulldozed by developers because it is structurally sound and well maintained.

Scores of families on the doomed estate have been rehoused and their homes, found to have flaws in the fabric of the walls, flattened.

Mr Nuttall, 60, has made a lone stand and has declared he will have to be dragged from his home.

Such action looks set to be carried out in a glare of publicity. Regional TV, radio and the local press will all be alerted if the authority makes such a move.

"It won't reflect well on the council in fact it will probably be crucified," said Mr Nuttall's solicitor, Chris McGarrigle.

Mr Nuttall and his advisors now believe they have found a loophole in the Town and Country Planning Act that will make it possible for him to hang onto his land. It's a claim that has been challenged by the council's legal department.

The Nuttall team maintains that although he no longer owns his house, under the Town and Country Planning Act he still has the option to buy the land it stands on.

"Under a buy-back clause the council has to offer him the chance to buy it back before offering it to Betts Homes," said property consultant Chris McGarrigle.

"He intends to do this. The developers have actually finalised the sale of the former Moathouse land this week, except for that on which Mr Nuttall's home stands. They have indicated they don't intend to build on that part of the site for another 24 months. Mr Nuttall intends to hang on to the land even if his house is bulldozed. This issue is going to go on and on and if Mr Nuttall does keep the land the situation will be just farcical, " he added.