A DISGRUNTLED resident who lives opposite a new Premier Inn is fighting the hotel giants after builders put in a permanent fence that he claims is blocking his driveway.

But solicitors for the hotel chain are adamant the builders have done nothing wrong.

Roderick Williams, who has lived in Melmore Garden since 2001, claims the waist-high wooden fence put up between his gate and the hotel’s car park last month prevents the legally-permitted vehicle access to his property.

Mr Williams’ driveway has been at the rear of his house since 1995, according to a statutory declaration made by a previous owner, he said.

Prior to the construction of the hotel’s car park, Mr Williams was able to drive his car out onto what was a lorry park and then onto the main road.

He said: “They’ve just blocked me off. They’ve never come to see me, never come to explain anything, never come to ask.

“I have vehicle access, according to that statutory declaration, from 1995.”

In the declaration, it refers to the removal of ‘one of the panels from the fence on the north-eastern boundary’ to ‘put in a gate, which gives access directly over the footpath to the lorry park’ which Mr Williams feels proves his right of way for his vehicle.

In recent years, a cycle path has also been constructed between his property and what is now the carpark, and Mr Williams has also had to traverse that in his car to gain access to the road.

As part of the building work, a temporary security fence was also put up and Mr Williams said he was told by builders that that would be moved whenever he needed to get his car out.

“For the last five months they had a security fence here which did block me, but they said at the end of August they’d be removing it and I would get my access back.

“I didn’t mind that, as long as I was being helpful. They promised me it would be removed and I’d have my access.”

After sending off a copy of the statutory declaration and HM Land Registry title deed for previously unregistered land between the old lorry park and his property to Whitbread PLC, owner of Premier Inn, Mr Williams then received a letter from solicitors Freeths LLP, refuting his claims.

The solicitors, acting on behalf of the company, wrote: “We have reviewed the documents which you have provided and can see no evidence either on your registered title or in the statutory declaration (assuming you may be claiming a right required by long use) for a vehicular right of way along the access way, nor specifically over the lorry park.”

A spokesman for Whitbread told the Standard: “Our new Premier Inn in Cirencester is a significant investment into the town, creating new jobs and making positive use of a site that has been redundant since May 2014.

“We have completed the building works in line with the planning consent granted in May 2015 by the local council.”

The spokesman added: “We’ve met with and spoken to Mr Williams in order to try and address the concerns he has raised, and our legal team has looked into his query comprehensively to help clarify and advise on the matter.

“We would be happy to continue this conversation if Mr Williams can provide further documentation for consideration.”