A Leominster landowner has told Herefordshire Council to "pull out its cheque book" if it wants his nine acres to provide land for a relief road into the Southern Avenue Industrial Estate, writes HEATH ASTON.

John Whilding believes the price he was offered by Herefordshire Council in a compulsory purchase order of his land between the A49 and the A44 is below market price.

"I will lose a car boot sale business worth £27,000 a year, a shed I paid £15,000 for and land that has planning potential and they are offering me £3,000 an acre as if it is agricultural land.

"I have never said that I refuse to sell the land but I do refuse to be steam rolled by the council into a deal. For five years now they have refused to negotiate with me.

"They talk like these are the last remaining plots they need, but we own 85 per cent of the land where the road will be," he said.

He said the council has charged him business rates of £1,600 on half his land for the past five years, proof, he says, that the land is worth much more than £3,000 an acre in a compulsory purchase.

He claims the land is worth closer to £20,000 an acre.

If he doesn't withdraw his objection a public inquiry will be held before any work can begin on the relief road.

Lead Valuer and Estates Surveyor at Herefordshire Council, Alison Hext said: "Negotiations for the acquisition of the land are ongoing and there may be a public inquiry if there's an objection to the compulsory purchase order."

The council declined to comment further on the dispute.

The road will be part of a £4.9 million extension to the industrial estate that began last month.

The project is a joint venture between the council and the development agency, Advantage West Midlands, to regenerate the economy of Leominster.