Man who lives in 'Fiesta land' fights council over offer for home that will be demolished

Andrew Smith pictured astatine his location successful Tewkesbury Road, Uckington. (Image: Carmelo Garcia)

A Cheltenham man, whose location known arsenic "Fiesta land" is nether menace of demolition to pave mode for 4,000 homes adjacent the M5, fears the compensation he's being offered won't screen the outgo of a akin property. Andrew Smith, 63, residing disconnected Tewkesbury Road successful Uckington, has been losing slumber implicit the accent of perchance losing his three-bedroom semi-detached erstwhile assembly house, which is apt to beryllium bulldozed for the Elms Park improvement adjacent junction 10 of the motorway.

Mr Smith claims that Gloucestershire County Council's connection falls abbreviated of what he'd request to unafraid a comparable spot successful the area. Known for collecting, repairing and selling Ford cars astatine his spot - hence the nickname "Fiesta Land" owed to the 33 vehicles presently parked determination - he's present forced to merchantability them owed to his impending relocation.

The concern has near him much stressed than ever before. "I can't unopen down" helium confessed.

"I utilized to enactment for F1 and drove articulated lorries for agelong hours for companies who had contracts with Benetton, Prost Grand Prix and McLaren."

Mr Smith's location is outlined successful pinkish connected the plans for the 4115 Elms Park development. The onshore marked successful greenish astir him is owned by Gloucestershire County Council (Image: TBC)

Born and raised successful Whaddon, Mr Smith had plans to determination his 88 twelvemonth aged parent successful with him, but fears the compensation he's being offered volition marque this impossible, reports Gloucestershire Live. 

He had attempted to unafraid readying support for an annexe truthful his parent and precocious begetter could unrecorded with him, but was informed that it would beryllium intolerable owed to impending redevelopment plans. "One of the past things my begetter said to maine was look aft your mother," helium recounted.

"It breaks my bosom and I've breached down respective times. I bought this location successful 2002."

"I didn't privation to sell. This is each I've ever wanted."

Andrew Smith pictured extracurricular the beforehand doorway of his Tewkesbury Road location successful Uckington (Image: Carmelo Garcia)

"But arsenic clip has gone on... I tried to get mum and dada here."

"Everything I've wanted to bash here. I wanted to enactment an annexe present but planners would ne'er let it due to the fact that of the forthcoming Elms Park."

"I thought you cognize what. I'm sitting choky present until idiosyncratic makes maine a sensible offer."

"I've got a mortgage to settle."

Mr Smith claims Gloucestershire County Council person indicated determination are nary contiguous plans to demolish the properties for 2 years. He notes that astir of the neighbouring homes person been vacant for up to a decade.

His location is included successful the yet-to-be-finalised 4,115 outline readying exertion for Elms Park. "Mine is the lone privately owned location on here," helium stated.

The representation for the outline readying exertion for Elms Park shows Mr Smith's spot listed on with the different landowners. (Image: TBC)

"I'm not against advancement but they request to marque maine a sensible offer. Persimmon and Bloor Homes approached maine years ago. They wanted to acquisition me."

He besides mentioned that a highways idiosyncratic hinted astatine a aboriginal roundabout oregon postulation calming diagnostic wherever his location presently stands.

Mr Smith insists he's been lowballed astir £850,000 for his three-bedroom semi, contempt its premier 0.2-acre spot: "They've offered maine £850,000. You tin spot the cars."

Andrew Smith has much than 30 Ford vehicles astatine his location successful Uckington (Image: Carmelo Garcia)

He argues marketplace alternatives don't lucifer up: "What's retired determination for the equivalent magnitude of wealth is conscionable not there. They're taking Michael."

Smith expresses it's not astir being self-centred: "I'm not selfish. They've told maine my spot is analyzable due to the fact that they can't supply maine with the funds to get the equivalent oregon the equivalent is not retired there."

He remains unfastened to compromise: "I've adjacent said to them, find maine a crippled of land. Let's hold the figure, let's instrumentality it disconnected the location and I'll get a builder to physique a bungalow determination truthful I tin attraction for my mum."

Andrew Smith says the relocation has forced him to merchantability his Ford vehicles (Image: Carmelo Garcia)

Gloucestershire County Council support cards adjacent to their chest, declining to disclose details astir their dealings with Mr Smith for the A4019 Tewkesbury Road expansion: "We are presently negotiating with landowners implicit the acquisition of their spot wherever required to facilitate transportation of the M5 Junction 10 scheme," a spokesperson stated. "In this lawsuit the onshore is required to alteration the associated widening of the A4019 Tewkesbury Road. GCC has presented an connection to the spot proprietor that accounts for some the valuation of the spot successful accordance with applicable standards and guidance and besides considers applicable compensation which acknowledges the landowner's situation."

"These negotiations are confidential, and we cannot remark further connected these. As good arsenic widening of the A4019 Tewkesbury Road the strategy proposals volition spot important improvements to M5 Junction 10 and the instauration of a caller roadworthy linking Junction 10 to West Cheltenham."

"The strategy proposals are indispensable to unlock projected and aboriginal lodging and employment maturation successful West and North West Cheltenham."