A crumbling shack will not be blighting Folkestone town centre for much longer.

Work started this week to tear down the eyesore next to Grace Chapel near Folkestone library after an order was slapped on the owner by Shepway District Council.

The council had been set to carry out the work itself after it secured permission to enforce action to demolish the site in October.

But the owner is now doing the work himself, leader of the council Cllr David Monk told KentOnline.

Cllr Monk said: “We gave the owner an ‘ultimatum’ to demolish it or we would do the work ourselves and charge him.

“The owner has informed us of his intention to do the work himself and scaffolding went up this week.

“Demolition is due to start by the end of the week and take three weeks to complete.

“We will be monitoring the situation and have asked for weekly updates. We are confident that the notice will be complied with.”

A notice was served on the owners under Section 215 of the Town and Country Planning Act (1990) which grants councils power to take steps “requiring land to be cleaned up when its condition adversely affects the amenity of the area”.

The land has been left to deteriorate for several years and trees are now growing out of the corrugated roof. But once the demolition goes ahead the future of the site remains uncertain.

Planning permission was originally granted in January 2010 following an application for a five-storey block of 14 flats on the site, submitted in 2009.

A time extension was agreed by the council in February 2013, granting another three years of permission for work to start but that expires next month.