A COMPANY has been found guilty a second time of failing to improve an eyesore home in one of ‘East Lancashire’s worst streets’.

London-based Dairmiles Development was found guilty of failing to comply with a notice to improve a property in Spring Street, Rishton, which had fallen into a state of disrepair.

After they failed to comply with the notice served under the Building Act 1984 at Blackburn Magistrates Court for the second time, they have been forced to pay fines and costs totalling £2,445.

The company had been issued notices to repair the leaking gutter but after work was not carried out, Hyndburn Council was forced to take the matter to court.

The order had been issued as council bosses looked to implement a £500,000 regeneration scheme in the area.

Cllr Clare Cleary, cabinet member for housing, said; “This property has been empty since 1985 and is in a state of severe disrepair.

“We are serious about bringing derelict empty property back into use and in this case the owners left us no choice but to take them back to court again to get the work done, as they have ignored the notice requiring the leaking gutters to be fixed.

“This is one of several enforcement actions which are being carried out on Spring Street to support a half a million pound regeneration scheme that is under way there.

“It will see the whole street enhanced with the front of the properties cleaned, painted and repointed, along with some new windows and doors.”

The law says if satisfactory provision has not been made for the proper drainage of a building the local authority can serve a notice requiring the owner to complete such work.

Dairmiles has now put the property up for sale.

It was previously fined a total of £1,375 and ordered to pay costs of £550 for failing to carry out work on the house in September.

Council leader Cllr Miles Parkinson first announced the £500,000 regeneration scheme in Spring Street last year, on the street which he said used to be one of the ‘worst in the area.’

At the peak of its problems in 2010, the street was subject to 66 arson attacks.

He said the work in the area has been inspired by similar renovation work carried out in Accrington and the multi-million pound Woodnook regeneration scheme.