Brian Garlick will require a speciality built tunnel to access his home upon the completion of the National Highways project (Image: SWNS)
A pensioner living alongside a major new road venture is going to reach his house through an extravagant ‘private’ tunnel, potentially costing taxpayers up to £6m. Brian Garlick, ousted from his home beside the A417 Missing Link—a three-mile dual carriageway presently under construction between Gloucester and Cirencester—has discovered that National Highways retracted their £750k offer to purchase his property.
Consequently, he finds himself stuck with it beyond the project’s 2027 completion. Astounded by the notion, Brian learnt that entering his home safely would require the use of a specially constructed tunnel, priced between £4m and £6m.
Without this tunnelling solution, Brian would face isolation. Situated a quarter-mile from his homestead, the specifics of the tunnel’s structure are yet to be finalised.
Now residing temporarily in a caravan park, 69-year-old Brian must give a 21-day notice just to visit the house where his life began. Mr Garlick remarked, “At first I was a little bit shocked (when they suggested a tunnel) and a little bit over the top but when you looked at it there was no real other alternative for them to do it.”
He had aspired to offload his and his grandad’s home, dating back to the 1950s, to National Highways but now understands the agency was “unable” to secure the purchase.
Construction work on the A417 Missing Link dual carriageway between Gloucester and Cirencester, Brian Garlick’s house is situated bottom right (Image: SWNS)
The authority has stated that the underpass was always part of the plan, designed to provide access to two telephone masts and assist with local drainage. A spokesperson noted that while National Highways had initially considered purchasing Mr Garlick’s property, it was later established that the property fell outside the scheme boundary, making acquisition unfeasible.
However, Mr Garlick claims an offer was made and subsequently retracted. He said: “The way they have handled everything has been absolutely diabolic.
“I live in a fifth wheel caravan – and I had to buy it myself. The contractors are only paying for the costs of the campsite fees and the petrol.
“I still have to pay the council tax, electricity and all the bills for the house.”
“I have never had an apology from National Highways. They only came to the house in June and said the time has run out and we are not doing anything else. I haven’t heard anything from National Highways from then until now.”
The £460m project is intended to alleviate traffic congestion at the single-carriageway bottleneck stretch past Birdlip and is set to be completed by 2027. In the meantime, Mr Garlick is living alone in his caravan.
He commented: “When it is all done the roads will be far better. The actual tunnel will make it safer. Don’t know how the noise levels are going to be. They say they won’t do any extra glazing until one year and one day of the road being officially open.”
Residents are up in arms over the noise from a major road project, with one local lamenting, “You got to live with it for a year and then if there is noise here we are going to have to wait one year.”
In response, A417 Missing Link programme manager for National Highways, Steve Foxley, has said: “We had lengthy discussions with Mr Garlick ahead of construction regarding any disruption to him and agreed a way forward that worked for both parties.”
Brian Garlick at his home situated near to the A417 Missing Link dual carriageway under construction between Gloucester and Cirencester (Image: SWNS)
He further assured, “We will continue to do our best to address any concerns and to minimise any impacts to the community and residents from our work on the scheme.”
Meanwhile, National Highways remained tight-lipped about the costs but confirmed that the underpass, which must meet certain design standards, is essential for access to telephone masts and emergency services. The spokesperson clarified, “There was always going to be an underpass, and we are currently progressing the final design.”