Woman fails in bid to save home from Games

Published on Tuesday 15 March 2011 20:10

A GRANDMOTHER has failed in a last-ditch attempt to stop a council from demolishing her house to make way for the Commonwealth Games.

Margaret Jaconelli will be evicted from her home tomorrow, after an application to have her case heard at the Court of Session was yesterday refused.

The 52-year-old's Dalmarnock home, which is in a site earmarked for the athletes' village for the 2014 games, will be demolished by contractors soon after she leaves.

Mrs Jaconelli - who has lived in the house with her family for 34 years - is being forced out by Glasgow City Council who have bought the property as part of a compulsory purchase order.

A hearing to determine whether or not a Court of Session appeal should be granted was heard at Glasgow Sheriff Court yesterday.

But Sheriff Principal James Taylor ruled that it was "not competent" to progress the case any further.

Mrs Jaconelli is the last remaining resident in a block of flats at Ardenlea Street, which will now be demolished.

The council has offered Mrs Jaconelli 30,000 for her property but she says that it is not enough to buy her family another home.

She has also been offered alternative accommodation, but insists that it has been unsuitable.

She earlier told a civil hearing at the court that she did not object to the Commonwealth Games or the building of an athletes' village, but to the way the council had gone about its development.

She added: "They're stealing my property after us working so hard for it."

Mrs Jaconelli can now appeal the compensation awarded to her through the Lands Tribunal, but will still have to leave her home this week.