FURIOUS homeowners say their millionaire neighbor is preventing them from using a public footpath and is screaming at them in the street.
Tempers have flared in a months-long row between neighbors in Hove, near Brighton – and residents say it’s like living in a war zone.
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Anger flared in the suburbs of Brighton
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A lane in the center of a neighboring row in Hove
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The dispute began when a wall collapsed in a storm last October
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For almost a year, nothing was done to clear the ruins
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Police were called at least twice to deal with the rampage
The row began when a wall collapsed in a storm last October, blocking a public footpath that runs between the two £1.2million houses.
A 10ft wire fence was installed so property owners could clear the path and make repairs.
But for almost a year nothing has been done to clear the rubble from the wall and the alley is still closed.
Residents have complained to the council – demanding immediate repairs to reopen the public footpath.
However, they claimed that they were intimidated by a neighbor who lives on the other side of the track.
They said the neighbor is now opposed to reopening the footpath.
At a public meeting outside the alley last Friday, the man allegedly harangued councilors and neighbors – drowning out complaints.
Many residents say they are so fed up with the protracted conflict that they are considering selling their homes.
One resident said: ‘This used to be a really nice place to live and it’s all very desirable properties.
“But here right now it’s like a war zone. People were threatened.
“They were intimidated and cursed at if they came anywhere near the fence. It was a complete nightmare.”
The police have been called at least twice in the past 10 days to deal with this outrage.
Another local said: “They screamed at me in the street and verbally abused me in front of my children.
“It is absolutely shocking what is happening and yet the police seem powerless to act.
“I’m seriously thinking about whether I want to live in an area where there’s so much conflict. It’s not healthy.”
A third local resident said: “I don’t want to put my head over the parapet.
“Threats and intimidation are too serious to be taken lightly. We have been in contact with the police regarding this.”
A resident named Charles said: “It’s out of control and now one family is taking the law into their own hands.
“I think the police need to do something before it escalates further.”
The road is still blocked by the ruins of the storm-damaged wall and fence.
Councilor Trevor Muten said the council’s aim was to reopen the public footpath in days, not weeks.
He said: “We now intend to issue a section 78 notice under the Building Act 1984.
“This gives us, as a local authority, the power to remove dangerous buildings.
“This is the quickest and most practical solution to reopening the footpath as soon as possible after the legal process.”
Muten said that the works will be carried out by the municipality, not the owner.
He said the council would erect a fence on both sides of the track to cover any gaps and safety risks.
The councilor said: “We then intend to install CCTV cameras to monitor the track and re-install public signage on the track.
“Any remaining signs indicating that the footpath is private are incorrect and will be removed.
“Then we will reopen the track. Hopefully it will all be done in a matter of days, not weeks.
“We accept that we should have acted earlier, but now we have made this a priority.
“We are working to open this track as soon as possible. This is a very popular track.
“It’s there for local residents to use and enjoy and I’m determined to get it done quickly.”
The residents of the house were contacted for comment, but they declined to comment.
Sussex Police said: “We are investigating a report of threats made outside an address in Hove at around 5.30pm on September 13.
“Witnesses or anyone with any information or footage is asked to contact police online or call 101 quoting serial 117 of 14/09.”
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Source: HIS Education