'Fiesta Land' owner battles plan for 4,000 homes

Andrew Smith is well-known locally for keeping dozens of Ford cars on his land

Carmelo Garcia Andrew Smith standing beside some of his Ford Fiestas he keeps outside his house. — Andrew Smith is well-known locally for keeping dozens of Ford cars on his land

A man whose home has become known as “Fiesta Land” because of the dozens of Ford cars he stores there says he is not being offered enough money to relocate as part of a council plan to build 4,000 new homes.

Andrew Smith, who lives in Tewkesbury Road in Uckington, said the £850,000 Gloucestershire County Council is offering is not enough to move him to a similar sized home.

The council said it needs his land to widen the Tewkesbury Road as part of the Elms Park development, near the M5.

Mr Smith, 63, said: "I’m sitting tight here until somebody makes me a sensible offer. I’ve got a mortgage to settle.”

His three-bed semi-detached house is being targeted by the council for demolition to make way for 4,115 homes near junction 10 of the M5, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Mr Smith collects, repairs and sells Ford cars at his property, but he has had to put them up for sale because of the council's plans.

Mr Smith said he is extremely stressed over the situation and has not had a good night sleep for months.

Carmelo Garcia A car park of Ford Fiestas on Mr Smith's land, next to his house. — Mr Smith has 33 Ford cars on his estate

He said: “Mine is the only privately-owned home along here.

“I’m not against progress but they need to make me a sensible offer. I’m not selfish."

He added: "They’ve told me my property is complicated because they can’t provide me with the funds to get the equivalent or the equivalent is not out there.

“I’ve even said to them, find me a plot of land. Let’s agree the figure, let’s take it off the house and I’ll get a builder to build a bungalow there so I can care for my mum.”

Mr Smith wants to move his 88-year-old mother in with him to look after her, but he believes he will struggle to do that for the money he is being offered.

A decision on the Elms Park development is yet to be made.

Mr Smith says the council may put a roundabout where his house currently stands

Carmelo Garcia Andrew Smith holding a drawing plan of his house. — Mr Smith says the council may put a roundabout where his house currently stands

He said a highways worker told him there would be a roundabout or traffic calming system where his house currently sits.

Gloucestershire County Council said it could not comment on their negotiations with Mr Smith.

A spokesperson for the council said: “The council has presented an offer to the property owner that accounts for both the valuation of the property in accordance with relevant standards and guidance and also considers relevant compensation which acknowledges the landowner’s situation.

“As well as widening of the A4019 Tewkesbury Road the scheme proposals will see significant improvements to M5 Junction 10 and the creation of a new road linking Junction 10 to west Cheltenham."

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