Wall only two bricks high at the centre of row

A wall that is only two bricks high is at the centre of a row between a businessman and a developer.

Lioncourt Homes is building 70 properties at Priory Meadows in Hempsted, on the edge of Gloucester, and needs to demolish a short wall to create an emergency access route.

However, Roger White says the wall is on land he inherited from his father.

In a cease-and-desist letter sent to Mr White, the developer said he had "no entitlement to a ransom" over the wall. It further told the BBC the work required is on land it owns and a publicly adopted highway.

"Lioncourt say they don't need to pay any money, that they can just bulldoze," Mr White said.

"They have put in writing they believe they're in their rights to bulldoze through."

Lioncourt has shared documents from 1964 with Mr White which it says shows it owns the wall. But White has documents from 1971 which he says prove the wall belongs to him.

Gloucestershire County Council has been asked to comment on Lioncourt's claim the work required is on a public highway, rather than Mr White's land. The authority is yet to respond to the BBC's requests.

Mr White's plot of land was valued at £10,000 in 2017 and he wants to strike a deal with Lioncourt.

He told the BBC he is not against the development, but added "things need to be done properly".

However, solicitors from the firm have sent him a cease and desist letter which says his claim to the wall is "without merit" and he has "no entitlement to a ransom".

Such a letter usually acts as a warning the recipient will face legal action if they continue allegedly unlawful activity.

Responding to the cease and desist letter, Mr White's solicitors said it is for Lioncourt Homes to prove the wall is within its property and if it forms part of the public road.

In a statement, Lioncourt told the BBC: "Works required to implement our planning permission is in land wholly owned by Lioncourt Homes or is in adopted highway land, no third-party land is required."

Its land director Rachel Cartwright added the firm is continuing to liaise with Mr White.

She said the emergency access is being installed in accordance with approved planning conditions.

"We have sought legal advice on the matter and are awaiting a response back from Mr White," she added.

"It would not be right to divulge anything further at this stage."

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