You can't af-Ford it! Man refuses council's £850,000 offer to buy large patch of land he has packed with Fiesta hatchbacks

By Robert Folker

Published: 21:36 AEDT, 25 October 2024 | Updated: 21:37 AEDT, 25 October 2024

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A man has refused a council's £850K offer to compulsory purchase his 'Ford Fiesta Land' home which has 33 of the cars in his garden.

Andrew Smith, 63, has collected, repaired and sold the vehicles for several years and currently has a huge stockpile of them at his home near Cheltenham.

But he says he has been left 'extremely stressed' as his property faces being bulldozed to make way for a proposed 4,000 home development.

Andrew moved into the property in Uckington in 2002 and had wanted to move his elderly mother into an annexe.

He has now reluctantly accepted he would have to move if outline planning permission is approved and has put his unique car collection up for sale.

Andrew Smith, 63, (pictured) has collected, repaired and sold Ford Fiestas for several years and currently has a huge stockpile of them at his home near Cheltenham.

But he says he has been left 'extremely stressed' as his property faces being bulldozed to make way for a proposed 4,000 home development

Mr Smith has refused the council's £850K offer to compulsory purchase his 'Ford Fiesta Land' home which has 33 cars in his garden

But he said he was going 'no-where' until a 'sensible' offer was made after turning down an initial £850k from Gloucestershire County Council.

His three-bed semi detached former council home is set to go as part of preparations for a 4,115-home Elms Park development near junction 10 of the M5 motorway.

But Andrew said the money being offered for a 'forced relocation' is not enough to move to a similar property in the area. 

'It breaks my heart and I've broken down several times,' he said.

'This is all I've ever wanted. I'm sitting tight here until somebody makes me a sensible offer.'

Andrew, who used to work for F1 driving articulated lorries for companies who had contracts with Benetton, Prost Grand Prix and McLaren, still wants to move his 88-year-old mother in with him but fears now that will be unaffordable.

He said most of the other homes had been empty for up to a decade and his was the only privately owned home in the area.

'I'm not against progress but they need to make me a sensible offer,' he added.

'You can see the cars. What's out there for the equivalent amount of money is just not there.'

The 63-year-old said the money being offered for a 'forced relocation' is not enough to move to a similar property in the area

His three-bed semi detached former council home is set to go as part of preparations for a 4,115-home Elms Park development near junction 10 of the M5 motorway

But Andrew said the money being offered for a 'forced relocation' is not enough to move to a similar property in the area

Andrew said he's been told his property was 'complicated' as the council couldn't provide him with the funds for anything similar.

Gloucestershire County Council said negotiations were continuing.

A spokesperson said: 'We are currently negotiating with landowners over the purchase of their property where required to facilitate delivery of the M5 Junction 10 scheme.

'In this case the land is required to enable the associated widening of the A4019 Tewkesbury Road. GCC 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.

'These negotiations are confidential, and we cannot comment further on these. 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.

'The scheme proposals are necessary to unlock proposed and future housing and employment growth in West and North West Cheltenham.'

Locals have been reacting to Andrew's ordeal with many expressing sympathy for his situation.

One said: 'Councils should not be able to manipulate outcomes, destroy people life's and steal land so developers can make obscene profits.

'In any other situation this would be classed as organised crime. Give the fella what he wants or leave him alone.'

Mr Smith who used to work for F1 driving articulated lorries for companies who had contracts with Benetton, Prost Grand Prix and McLaren, still wants to move his 88-year-old mother in with him but fears now that will be unaffordable

Pictured: Mr Smith's home which has 33 Ford Fiestas in the garden

Mr Smith has now reluctantly accepted he would have to move if outline planning permission is approved and has put his unique car collection up for sale

Another said: 'The council will win as they have compulsory purchase law on their side. They are not looking at his needs they are looking at an extra 4500 homes with council tax rolling in as a result.

'The way that compulsory purchase is used is wrong.'

Another added: 'I say don't give in and don't move. They will have to build around him.

'Why should someone have to move because the council or housing developers say so.'

Published by Associated Newspapers Ltd

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