Court Instruct Neighbour To Pay £10,000 Over Fence Battle

In 2020, Mr Blackmore erected a fence, which Mr Field argued was “placed deliberately and maliciously” to block access on his property next door and “intended solely to create a dangerous hazard” at the entrance.

According to recent news, a battle between neighbours has left one with a £10,000 bill for building a fence blocking the home next door. 

Michael Blackmore has been ordered to pay the five-figure sum to his neighbours, Andrew Fields and his partner Anja, after a dispute that has been rumbling on for four years.

The couple had wanted to convert part of their home between Tiverton and Uplowman in Devon into an office space but were met with objections by Mr Blackmore and his partner, Sandra, who live next door. 

Last month, a county court ruled that the fence outside Bradford Barn should be removed and that Mr Blackmore should pay £10,000 to Mr Fields. 

The dispute had gone through Mid Devon District Council’s (MDDC) planning meetings since 2018. 

Mr Blackmore claimed then that lights from a car park next door would shine directly into his bedroom should the office space go ahead.

He also complained that a beekeeping group would use a “shipping container” on the site which had been used to store chemicals. 

Mr Fields said: “In 2020, all planning permissions were immediately granted at government level.

“It was concluded in the hearing that this should have been the conclusion in the first instance from MDDC, however it cost me £25,000 in unnecessary costs and hours of wasted council time to get to this conclusion.” 

Mr Fields said Mr Blackmore had complained about him hosting the Mid Devon Bees beekeeping club and using a digger on his own land.

“I would like to point out that we are a registered farm and are allowed to dig in our garden,” said Mr Fields.

He said his neighbours had agreed previously not to erect a fence on the boundary of the farm. When they did, he took the matter to court, which ruled in his favour.