A DERELICT former vicarage in Dawlish is again in new hands again after being sold at auction.

The Grade II listed Old Vicarage in Weech Road, which recently gained planning permission for seven homes, has been sold at auction.

The eyesore building has been left to decay for more than 20 years and campaigners have battled to save the neglected site.

It had been the subject of an ongoing saga over its future with protracted issues over its ownership.

Now, it has new owners once more.

It fetched a freehold price of £130,000 plus and includes associated buildings, a coach house and land of about 0.17 hectares (0.4 acres).

In August, following lengthy attempts to salvage the site, Teignbridge Council finally granted planning permission for five houses in the main Old Vicarage building, one house in the coach house and a standalone new-build house on the site.

But the owners put it up for auction with Clive Emson Auctioneers.

The site was auctioned jointly with Fraser and Wheeler Estate Agents.

Senior auction appraiser Audrey Smith said: ‘This site came to auction with the benefit of planning permission and Listed Building Consent.

‘The new owner may wish to build out the planning permission or may have other schemes in mind to breathe new life into this historic site, subject to all of the necessary consents.’

The site has stood empty since 2003 and has been derelict since at least December 2008.

The building has suffered decades of decline since, has collapsed in parts and has been also been a magnet for youngsters despite being fenced off with warning signs.

Campaigners were delighted when planning permission was finally granted and had given their backing to the plans.

Vicarage Residents Group has been been leading the fight to save the property from complete ruin.

The site has been the subject of previous unsuccessful planning applications.

The vicarage is thought to date from the late 17th Century, and served as the vicarage for Dawlish until 1938.