A prominent car sales entrepreneur has placed a plot of land, originally purchased for a social housing project, on the market for a staggering £5 million. He attributes the sale to extensive delays by the local council in finalising a purchase agreement for the planned affordable homes.
From 'Cheeky Bid' to Multi-Million Pound Listing
Peter Waddell, the founder of the used car supermarket Big Motoring World, acquired the disused seven-acre former dairy site on Barwick Road in Dover in 2020. He secured the land for what he described as a 'cheeky bid' of £800,000 during the Covid pandemic, a period of uncertainty in the property market.
Mr Waddell, 59, who experienced a difficult childhood in a Scottish care home, had a clear vision for the site. He planned to construct a 120-home estate specifically for people in need of council housing. After lodging plans in 2022, he successfully obtained full planning permission at the start of 2025.
The approved scheme included four blocks of flats and 81 houses, with a Section 106 agreement committing hundreds of thousands of pounds to local public services. Groundwork commenced in the summer of 2025, with an anticipated completion date for all homes by April 2028.
Council 'Heel-Dragging' Forces Sale
The project's future is now in jeopardy. Mr Waddell states that Dover District Council (DDC) has been 'dragging its heels' for two years on a crucial agreement to purchase the completed properties. Council documents show its cabinet was scheduled to decide on the purchase in October 2025, but no decision was made.
'We expected that approval in October, then November and again this month, and every month sees development and materials costs rising and housing lists lengthening,' Mr Waddell said. 'But enough is enough. We need to move on.'
He has consequently listed the land for sale with an asking price of £5 million—more than six times his original investment. The businessman expressed frustration, saying the council appears to have 'spurned' his gesture. He urged the authority to 'stop dragging its heels' to deliver much-needed housing in line with government policy.
Council Response and Broader Implications
When questioned about the delays and Mr Waddell's comments, a spokesperson for Dover District Council stated: 'We have had discussions in this matter, but to date nothing has been agreed.' They declined to provide further detail.
The council had intended to rent 80 per cent of the properties at social rent levels and retain the remainder for shared ownership. Mr Waddell, who is dyslexic and partially deaf, emphasised his personal motivation, having known hardship himself. 'I know what it's like to be homeless. So, if I could do something to help, why wouldn't I?' he remarked earlier this year.
This standoff highlights the challenges facing affordable housing development in the UK, where bureaucratic delays can derail projects and inflate costs. The sale of this prime development land marks a significant setback for Dover's social housing supply.
