Last woman living in street set for demolition feels like prisoner in her own home
A woman has told how she feels trapped in her house as she is the last resident standing on a street that’s set to vanish – but students keep parking on her drive.
Gail Roberts, 64, who has multiple sclerosis, has been in a deadlock with National Highways for years over the sale of her house in Derby, and has recently entered a new battle over parking.
After a compulsory purchase order was issued, other residents started moving out after accepting the cash offered by National Highways for their homes in a huge £250m deal.
But Mrs Roberts, who adores her home, has taken more than a decade after the works were first suggested to strike a deal with them.
She has even been to 92 house viewings in the last five years but has struggled to find any house that suits her disability needs and is within an affordable price range.
She said: ‘I feel battered, bruised and drained by the whole experience. But I’m quite proud to be the last one standing. I love this house. I’ll never have another like it.’
However, it hasn’t just been the highways officers she has been battling with, and Mrs Roberts said last week she was stuck outside her house for almost an hour after a student blocked her drive.
While her road is access only – as a sign clearly states – the street is a haven during term time for students parking their cars as it has no yellow lines on it.
Mrs Roberts says that problems getting into or out of her driveway are occurring weekly, and her anger was compounded when she got stuck outside after returning from church – only for the student in question to turn up and an argument ensue.
She said: ‘I’m bordering between exploding and bursting into tears. It’s very unfair. The students are contravening regulations by parking here. It’s just ridiculous. This year it’s just worse than ever. No-one seems interested in helping. What do I do?’
She said: ‘I’ve not complained before but it’s getting to the point now where it may impinge on my health. These cars need to be ticketed and the students need to be told that this isn’t acceptable.’
Plans to revamp the A38 were initially proposed in the 1990s but never materialised. Mrs Roberts purchased her house at auction in 2011, oblivious to the fact that the project was being reconsidered.
It wasn’t until July 2013 that she first heard about it. That year, a smaller £4m project to widen the road was completed. The major overhaul was a much longer-term goal. However, in 2019, the secretary of state signed off an order that legally obligated National Highways to buy residents’ homes.
Many were chuffed to take the cash – the market value of the house plus a 10% bonus – because they wanted out anyway.
Mrs Roberts wasn’t but grudgingly accepted an offer.
However, things took a turn when an environmental campaign group dragged National Highways to court over carbon emissions and won. The order was squashed.
Mrs Roberts thought the plan might be completely scrapped and decided to stay put. But Highways kept haggling with her and after an MS relapse earlier this year, she accepted another, higher offer.
She said: ‘At the time, I didn’t know whether I would walk again. I thought life was too short to not accept the money.’
In August, the order was given the green light again by the Government, meaning Mrs Roberts needed to leave her home. But despite accepting the money, she’s yet to find another house.
On the ones she has made offers on – with the money from National Highways – she’s been outbid.
She says that the money is not enough to compete with other buyers for houses of the same character as her current one.
Mrs Roberts’ disability means she needs a home suitable for her needs. The Queensway property is spacious and adaptable. Many others are not.
The deadlock continues. Worries have been voiced about the latest A38 plans as a new legal challenge is underway, leaving everyone in the dark about when the works will begin.
Mrs Roberts has had enough of house hunting and is thinking about giving up and moving into a bungalow owned by her husband.
However, if she does, she won’t be eligible for nearly £20,000 in legal fees and stamp duty that National Highways would cover for her to purchase a home.
A National Highways spokesperson said: ‘We appreciate moving house can be a stressful and emotive time which is why we strive to carry out the purchase of property needed for our road improvements in a fair, sympathetic and transparent matter.
‘We have made several offers to Mrs Roberts over the years and are pleased she has now accepted an offer for her property which we believe to be a fair market price.
‘In the meantime, we will continue to discuss the purchase with both Mrs Roberts and her appointed representatives under the rules of the compensation code and our offer of paying Mrs Roberts’ reasonable fees in obtaining professional advice remains open.’
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