I have removed the starter on my Light 15 (BL) quite a few times using the “wedge a block of wood method!” Lots of grazed fingers and swearing….but it comes out easily now! I agree there is little or no room but can be done. Main problem was that the housing was seized in the mount so it would not move. Now well greased.
The starters problem in my case was that the retaining screw holding the spring of the bendix unit had backed off…now “loctited” with no further problems.