I’m the last resident on my street – developers want me to leave but I won’t budge… I want to be buried in my yard
A PENSIONER who is the last resident on his street is refusing to leave his home and said he will be buried in the back garden before he sells it.
Peter Ambler, 77, from Derby, has received multiple offers to buy his home over the last few years from developers – but isn’t budging.
The land, which once had four homes of residents on, now only houses Peter since everyone else was “forced out”.
Two were previously knocked down while one now sits abandoned.
Holme Lane, Spondon, which is a private road, has been blocked off by building works for a £300m industrial estate project.
Having lived there for 45 years, with the majority of that time spent without neighbours, Peter said he doesn’t want to “live among other people” and will not leave.
The former tyre business owner, who has joint issues and was told he wouldn’t live past 2009, told The Sun Online contractors are taking over and making his life a misery.
He said: “I want a peaceful life, it’s not too much to ask for is it?
“I don’t want people around my house, this is a private lane.
“This isn’t their property they’re taking over. It’s making my life a misery.”
A frustrated Peter said he will be buried in his back garden and sell off every single square yard of his house before investors get their hands on it.
He added: “They think they can push you about.
“I’m staying here whether they like it or not.
“I’m going to be buried in the garden and they’ll never ever be able to buy this property.
“I will get about 100,000 people and give them all a square yard each of this garden and this property.
“From America, the outback of Australia, Belgium wherever, they’ll all own a square.
“Anyone who wants to buy it, as a compulsory part of the purchase, they’ve got to find all of those people before they can get the land.
“I’m going to find people in the outback who can’t be traced.”
Peter claims the 155-acre SmartParc development is keeping him up through the night and the dust is affecting his health since work began in September 2021.
Once the distribution hub is built it’s expected to create 4,500 jobs in the local area.
It is being built on the former Celanese chemical plant, which was demolished in 2017.
SmartParc has been contacted.