A tenant has made a desperate bid to prevent his car repair business being moved to make way for a housing project.

Roy Francis has rented a workshop in railway arches on the Ropetackle site in Shoreham for more than 20 years.

He faces being evicted because the land is needed for a £20 million housing project.

The arches will be turned into workshops for the town's community of artists. He has been told his garage will not be part of the scheme.

Mr Francis, who runs Heene Auto Bodies, is the last remaining objector to the scheme to transform Ropetackle, which has been derelict for more than 30 years.

One by one, other landowners and tenants have dropped their opposition after settling claims for compensation.

The South East Economic Development Agency (Seeda) issued compulsory purchase orders (CPOs) against the last two remaining owners but they reached a last-minute deal, as a public inquiry began on Wednesday, and withdrew their objections to the CPOs.

That left Mr Francis as the lone voice against the scheme, as the inquiry ended with a site visit by government inspector David Lavender yesterday.

In an impassioned appeal, Mr Francis told him: "I am the last man standing and if the proposals go ahead, my livelihood will be destroyed.

"I am 53 and want to work. I have got another ten years left in me yet. I don't want compensation, I want work. I am only one small person and I feel that I do not matter."

Mr Lavender told him: "You are here and you are speaking to me because you do matter.

"I will report your case to the Secretary of State and urge you to negotiate with Seeda."

John Hobson, representing Seeda, said: "As regrettable as it may be, there is no place in this scheme for an accident damage workshop. It is incompatible.

"Seeda is willing to talk to Mr Francis to see what help can be provided to find alternative premises for him elsewhere."

Mr Lavender is expected to complete his inquiry report by the first week in January.

It will go to John Prescott, Secretary for Local Government, Transport and the Regions, for a decision later in the year.

The project is for 200 homes, a riverside walk, a town square and leisure facilities to be built on the site, which borders the River Adur.