A RAMSHACKLE herdsman's bungalow on Exmoor, already saved from the wrecker's ball by public protest, could now be put up for sale - almost three years after it was bought by Exmoor National Park Authority.

Blackpitts bungalow and barn looks set to be branded as too costly for the authority to convert into affordable housing and could be sold to someone who works in agriculture or forestry.

The Blackpitts controversy began in 2006 when the authority bought the bungalow and around a hectare of associated land for £236,000 to prevent what it called the "urbanisation" of the moor.

Blackpitts had been due to go to auction and had already generated a lot of interest from potential purchasers when the authority was given the opportunity of first refusal by the vendors.

Two years later, the authority faced a storm of protests when it approved plans to flatten the site to improve the view, backed by a £100,000 promise of support from the Exmoor Society.

Some 2,060 people signed a protest petition organised by the quickly-formed pressure group Exmoor Uprising, and in December last year the authority looked again at its plans.

Although Exmoor Uprising appeared to have scored a massive victory, the park authority's chief executive Nigel Stone blamed the credit crunch for forcing a u-turn.

Authority chairman Cllr John Dyke said members had listened to the concerns of moor residents and pledged: "Blackpitts is to stay and it will be rented out, almost certainly to a local family. It will remain part of Exmoor's heritage."

But on Tuesday, members of the authority will be told it will cost at least £93,000 to carry out the work required to turn the bungalow into a "decent" local home.

The work needed includes a new water and sewerage system, new windows and doors, re-plastering, new wiring and plumbing, new floors, ceilings and fittings and fixtures.

Members will be asked to decide whether they want to go ahead and refurbish the bungalow or sell it, complete with a modern agricultural tie and additional restrictive covenants and clauses.

If the second option is favoured, it is likely the authority will retain ownership of much of the land around the bungalow and barn, although a purchaser would have the option of renting a paddock from the authority.

In a report to Tuesday's meeting, the Blackpitts member panel - Alan Collins, Andrea Davis, Steven Pugsley, Fred Rawle and John Wibberley - say the authority now has the opportunity to reconsider the decision to refurbish and let the property.

"The panel is still of the view that to let the dwelling in its current condition would not be appropriate," says the report.

"The panel is concerned whether such expenditure [£93,297] would be a good use of public funds given that, while the authority will have enhanced the value of its asset, the estimated rental income is modest at some £5,000 and £6,000 per annum and there will be continuing property management implications.

"The option with the least financial and management implications is to sell all or part of the property.

"The advantages of a sale are that the authority would obtain a capital receipt and would not be involved in the expenditure for the refurbished work to the dwelling or in the future management of the dwelling.

"The disadvantages are that the receipt from the sale may not match the expenditure incurred by the authority in purchasing the site with commensurate risk that public money will have been spent without securing sufficient public benefit.

"There would be less ability to manage this sensitive site - although some landscape enhancement might be achieved through minor works prior to any sale and through retention of some of the surrounding land while selling the dwelling and barn."

Exmoor Uprising spokesman Molly Groves said it was vital an agricultural tie remained on Blackpitts and criticised the authority for the amount of money it had "wasted" on buying the bungalow, a consultation on its future and the cash earmarked for its demolition and clearance.

She claimed the brief given to workmen asked to cost the refurbishment of the bungalow "resembled a Sloane Square development".

Mrs Groves added: "Exmoor National Park Authority was prepared to waste £550,000 of taxpayers' money to demolish a perfectly usable home which had been lived in until they purchased it and whose previous tenant would move back there tomorrow if she could.

"We believe Exmoor National Park Authority has been completely irresponsible and shown no respect for taxpayers' money.

"We say stop this nonsense now and sell a lease to someone to do up for themselves.

"Thus the taxpayer would still have the original house, a local would have a home, there would be no need to buy somewhere else."

The authority will meet at Exmoor House in Dulverton at 10.30am on Tuesday to discuss the panel's findings and decide Blackpitts' future.