Businessman’s Land Grab Sparks Community Uproar in Haslingfield, Cambridgeshire

Land Acquisition and Demands

Daniel Hill, a businessman and former participant on the reality TV show Storage Hunters UK, is facing accusations of holding the community of Haslingfield, Cambridgeshire, to ransom.

Hill allegedly purchased small parcels of land for £18,000 and is now attempting to charge residents £30,000 each to use their own parking spaces.

Unfolding Dispute

Residents were reportedly unaware of the land sale, and Hill’s demands have left the community in shock. The 41-year-old businessman is said to have not only claimed ownership of the land but also attempted to charge residents for the use of parking spaces that had been free for decades.

Hill has also demanded £200,000 in “compensation” from an elderly couple to relinquish his claimed development rights on a small green space where the couple has maintained a hedge and willow tree since the 1970s.

Background and Previous Legal Issues

Hill, previously featured on Storage Hunters UK, gained some popularity with his catchphrase, ‘I’ll have some of that!’.

However, in 2018, he faced legal consequences for running an illegal dump on green-belt land in Surrey, resulting in a £2,500 fine and an additional £26,814.75 in a confiscation order.

Recent Actions and Community Response

Hill’s recent actions in Haslingfield include cutting down a silver birch in a designated ‘tree-planting area,’ spray painting yellow lines on the street, and claiming ownership rights over the public road.

The community has come together to resist Hill’s demands, offering a fair purchase price for the contested land, but he reportedly refused their offer.

Legal Consequences and Residents’ Stand

Residents have vowed to fight back against what they consider an attempt at extortion by Hill. While he was arrested by Cambridgeshire Police on suspicion of criminal damage and breaching the peace, he was later released without charges.

Residents, shocked by Hill’s heavy-handed tactics, are determined to stand their ground against what they perceive as an attempt to exploit their community.