Lioncourt Homes, which is building 70 homes at the Priory Meadows site in Hempsted, near Gloucester, plans to remove the wall to create an emergency access route. However, Roger White claims the wall sits on land he inherited from his father and is not part of the developer’s property.

The disagreement has escalated, with Lioncourt Homes issuing Mr White a cease-and-desist letter. The company insists he has “no entitlement to a ransom” regarding the wall and maintains that the area in question is either on land it owns or on a publicly adopted highway.

“Lioncourt say they don’t need to pay any money, that they can just bulldoze,” Mr White told the BBC. “They’ve put in writing that they believe they’re within their rights to do so.”

To support its claim, Lioncourt has presented documents dating back to 1964, which it says prove ownership of the wall. Mr White, however, has documents from 1971 which he argues confirm the wall belongs to him.

Gloucestershire County Council has been asked to clarify whether the contested area is part of a public highway or private land. The council has not yet responded to the BBC’s enquiries.

Mr White said he is not opposed to the housing development itself but wants the matter handled properly. His plot of land was valued at £10,000 in 2017, and he has expressed interest in reaching a fair agreement with Lioncourt.

In its statement to the BBC, Lioncourt Homes said: “Works required to implement our planning permission are on land wholly owned by Lioncourt Homes or on adopted highway land. No third-party land is required.”

Rachel Cartwright, Lioncourt’s land director, added that the emergency access is being installed in accordance with approved planning conditions and that the firm continues to liaise with Mr White.

“We have sought legal advice on the matter and are awaiting a response from Mr White,” she said. “It would not be appropriate to comment further at this stage.”

Meanwhile, Mr White’s legal representatives argue it is up to Lioncourt to prove the wall lies within its property or on public land.