on the m62 motorway it splits into two and there is a farm house in the middle can any one enlighten me why?

Answer 1

yes he wouldnt sell when they wanted to build the road so they built it round him

Answer 2

All those that said he refused to move are wrong. I saw an interview with him recently, when the M62 was built the land was owned by Yorkshire Water, however if you look at the land where the farmhouse is built it is on quite a steep incline. They couldn't get the 3 lanes of the motorway flat enough at that particular spot, therefore they had to split the motorway and put the eastbound carriageway on one side of the property and the westbound on the other, thus saving the farmhouse from compulsary purchase. The option was there to move but instead they had triple glazed windows fitted, the farm had been in the family for a number of generations.

I thought it was because he refused to move too until I saw it on Tv a few months back. For info it was on BBC1 programme called Inside Out.

Answer 3

I can answer you this, but I do have to say firstly, what a place to live, who would actually want to live there? When they were building the M62 they needed to but the farmer out. Now locally the was at one time other residents living near and when the plans had been finalised for the work to start on the M-way the residents of local town, villages protested against the m-way. They kept it up for a couple of weeks before they then backed down and give in apart from this one farmer. They offered him the value of the house he refused it they increased it twice but each time he refused it. He actually thought that unless they had his land then no m-way could be built so he stay adamant and refused to sell. Until one day work was started and he were notified that the work had begun and that the new plans were to go round his farm and land one direction of traffic on one side and the other on the other side and that they have planned to build a little subway that will run under one of the one way m-way bringing him out as normal too him. The original farmer of course has passed on and the farm has been past down to other family members so I know its still in the same family. I've also was told that on numerous occasions they've tried to sell up but no one would even entertain the place! Well would you live with a m=way going through you front and back garden!

Answer 4

Hello Chris,
Yes I can tell you, there is an old farmer living there in that little white house, and to us in the lorry dreivinf fraternity in this countrry, this place is known as " The little House On The Prairie". This farmer had trhe chance when the Department of transport were buying up land for this very urgently needed motorway in the 1960s, and the Transport Cafe's of the day were rife with stories that they had offered him literally Millions of £s at the time, to save money on the roads actual construction, but Still he wouldn't part witrh the land, foolish man!
So they had to build around him, and lafet him not much room to move his stock or vehicles, but they had to leave him a way in and a way out, but in the inclement weather that is plentiful in Winter, he has a terrible time getting to his stock to fodder them..Foolish man again, as he and his wife could have retired to the Seychelles, and herded Banana trees, or sultry indian oceanic maidens. and really cleaned up.
I understand that he refuse several offers of compensation, but got a very good view of a water reservoir for his trouble, and a lot ofd water chutes to go with it. I hope this answers your query Chris,, as the A58 and trhe A62 were never going to be goodenougfh or capable of handling the volume of traffic that a motorway was.. Bye Now..Tony M..

Answer 5

Yes, the family and their ancestors had farmed that land for centuries and wouldn`t accept the money offered by the Highways Commission, after much wrangling they built the motorway around him....was he stupid?
At the time he stood on principal, i would imagine now he wishes he`d sold out...would you buy it?

Answer 6

The farmer would not sell his land, when the government were purchasing land for the motorway, no idea why they did not compulsory purchase it though. So there he is in the middle, I believe there is a subway for him under the motorway so he can get out.

Answer 7

Not sure why this is in Marriage & Divorce...but apparently the story is that the farmer refused to sell up and move when the motorway was built so they just built it round him!

Answer 8

When the motorway was being the built the farmer who owned the house refused to sell it to the highways. So they had to build the motorway around him

Answer 9

The farmer refused to move out & so the motorway was built around his farmhouse. If you look carefully (preferably when not driving) you can see the little tunnels etc so his sheep can be moved around.

Answer 10

they built the motor way many years ago!!

the farmer was offered millions for his land and so were many of the farmers in the area! the rest took the money!

He decided not to, he fought and fought and i suppose he sort of won!!! the government compulsory bought the parts of the land that go round the house (so his house is in the middle)
he has tunnels that go under the motorway for his sheep!!!

I wouldn't want to eat his sheep they must be full of car fumes
and second whereas i like that he took them on and won, but at one point he got offered over two million for his land i think i would have taken it!!

hope that clears it up for you

Answer 11

the farm was there before the motorway