A Gloucester businessman is holding developers to ransom over a legacy strip of land that he owns.

Roger White's company SSL Developments Ltd owns a 'ransom strip' that is marked out by a two-brick high 'dwarf wall' abutting the Priory Meadows development of 70 homes in Hempsted, Gloucester, alongside Honeythorn Close.

The problem for developers Lioncourt Homes is that the strip of land is needed to create an emergency access from the new development in case of flooding and Mr White was never approached by them to purchase it before building work began.

Building work on the site is now well underway with over 40 homes already built and construction workers still beavering away completing the rest.

Mr White said: "What Lioncourt Homes are saying is that highways have got access all the way through to here, even though I own the land, but highways don't own the dwarf wall and there's a good foot-and-a-half gap between where the kerb is and the actual wall. Obviously they need their emergency access in theory across the land.

"Originally it was put forward to planning that there was going to be a pedestrian access here but the local residents of Honeythorn Close said they didn't want that because of potential anti-social behaviour."

Mr White's late father Ernie was a well-known local estate agent, E W White and Co based in Eastgate Street in Gloucester, and he purchased a number of 'ransom strips' as potential investments.

Mr White added: "My father sadly passed away in 1997. He was an astute businessman and left me these strips of land which on the face of it seem to be worthless unless someone needs access or to build something across it. 

"I've also got ransom strips in Ledbury and some others in Gloucester. They are all scattered around. There's about eight of them in all.

"Back in 2017 Newland Homes approached me for another development in Hempsted and it was all done properly and they purchased the ransom strip.

"Lioncourt Homes have accepted that I own the land and the dwarf wall. I can't believe it's gone all the way to planning and they are actually building the road and nobody has actually consulted me until March 18. If I hadn't noticed this, they would have put everything in."

He added: "I'm sorry to say, but from where I'm sitting, someone somewhere had a bad day and didn't do the due diligence required for a site of this size."

Mr White said he "didn't know" how much money he would accept for the ransom strip, saying he would take professional advice.

Mr White, who also owns White House IT Solutions and is chairman of Gloucester City Safe, added: "I'm an IT guy. I was never interested in being an estate agent like my Dad - IT was my thing. But truth be told my dad understood developments as investments and bought these strips of land for precisely that - investments for our family's future.

He added: "When I was a kid he used to say to me to hang on to them - as you'll never know one day they might be worth a bob or two. Well, time and sterling may have changed since the '70's - so now I'm just waiting to see how many bobs, Lioncourt Homes are willing to pay me for my strip of land and my dad's foresight."

Rachel Cartwright, land director of Lioncourt Homes, said: "Lioncourt Homes are continuing to liaise with Mr White. We are installing the emergency gates in accordance with the approved planning conditions. We have sought legal advice on the matter and are awaiting a response back from Mr White. It would not be right to divulge anything further at this stage."