We're blocked from our driveways after neighbour put up HUGE barriers overnight… he claims it'll ‘stop illegal activity'
The landowner says the barrier will 'stop illegal activity ' but residents are claiming that it is causing major disruption to their lives.
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The residents have been using a small road in Talke, Stoke-On-Trent, for years in order to access their houses.
The road was sold off to a private owner four years ago, who has now erected a barrier blocking the path.
This has left residents unable to drive down the road or use the nearby car park.
Joe Wright moved into an Aspire Housing home on Unity Way in 1982 and says that he cannot afford a lawyer to support his case.
He said: "Aspire has suggested I contact a solicitor, which I did, but they charge £1,900 just to listen to me and I haven't got that sort of money.
'The police have said they can't do anything.'
The small road was purchased by the owner of a nearby store named Unity Way Convenience.
The shop's owner says that the barrier has been erected to prevent 'illegal activities' in the car park.
He added that residents would be allowed to use the road if they contributed to the cost of tarmacing it.
The shop's owner said: 'There are so many illegal activities going on in the car park - that's why I've put the barrier up.
"The second reason I had the gate was because I said to the neighbours they can use my road, it doesn't matter, if they help to share the cost of tarmacing the road, but they said they don't want to share the cost of tarmacing the road.
'A councillor spoke to me recently and told me that nobody should have driveways there and it's illegal.
"People can walk through there, it's just vehicles that can't because people were driving on there all the time.
"Nobody is allowed to access their caravans or use their cars there because it damages my road.'
Meanwhile, Aspire Housing says that the shop owner has ownership of the road and any formal access rights.
Mark Warburton, Aspire Housing's Head of Assets and Sustainability, said: 'This site on Unity Way was sold in February 2021, which included the shops, the land at the rear of those shops, and the footpath through to Maple Avenue.
"Any formal access rights in place at the time of the sale will have transferred as part of the sale or would have to be agreed with the owner following the sale.
'Our tenancy agreements do not include any specific provisions around parking or access to this site.
'We will support our customers where possible and advise that any concerns around access are also raised with the owner of this land, who we hope will listen to residents' concerns and act reasonably in considering requests for access.'
Newcastle-Under-Lyme Borough Council has been approached by The Sun for comment.
The news comes after plans to transform Newcastle-Under-Lyme were floated by the council, with separate contracts worth £85 million being considered for the renovations.
A spokesperson for Newcastle-under-Lyme said: "Being a borough council rooted in our community we are focusing on making Newcastle town centre a better place for people to live, work and enjoy our shops, pubs, cafes and restaurants.
"This investment across three key sites will not only change the look of the town centre, it will change the feel of it too by bringing in more residents and visitors."
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