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More on KentOnline
A boy narrowly avoided being seriously hurt, or worse, after crashing through a rotten floor inside a derelict building.
Now there are calls to decide the fate of the Victorian water tower in Trinity Road, Sheerness, once and for all.
The lad was injured after plunging through one of the floors and had to be treated by paramedics.
His mother said: “Parents, please warn your kids how dangerous this building is.
“My son was on the third floor and fell straight through it. There was no serious damage, luckily. He was so lucky but the next child might not be.”
Despite being boarded up by its current owner the building remains a challenge for adventurous youngsters to break in and explore its hidden hazards which include tonnes of poisonous pigeon droppings.
Sheerness Town Council chairman Matthew Brown said: “It has been an ongoing problem and one we have asked for building control to take enforcement action over.
'The whole site is now an accident waiting to happen...'
“Sadly, the only action appears to be tacking plywood to the ground floor doorways which are easily broken down.
"The whole site is now an accident waiting to happen and that is without the ongoing issue of fly-tipping.”
Queenborough and Halfway councillor Cameron Beart said: “I’ve been involved with the building for a few years and I’m a passionate supporter of the Island’s heritage.
“The building isn’t maintained and kept secure by its owner and is regularly having to be made safe and secure by building control due to persistent break-ins.”
The derelict building has been empty for some years.
It is privately owned by a London developer who was given permission to turn it into luxury apartments two years ago while retaining its impressive front. But that permission expired last month.
A spokesman for Swale Council said: “We received a report that the site had been broken into and we contacted the owner who confirmed they had secured the building.”
Four years ago the tower hit headlines after a fire at the building.
