Michael Gove has been accused of pitting neighbour against neighbour after announcing a housing shakeup that will allow homeowners to build bigger extensions without planning permission.
The Housing Secretary was accused of sparking a potential free for all that could spoil the character of long-preserved towns and lead to wars between neighbours.
In 1913, two Chelsea homeowners battled it out all the way up to the House of Lords – now known as the Supreme Court – over a “large Virginia creeper” which had grown up the party wall – the wall that’s shared between two properties – from one house and allegedly spread damp into the neighbour’s servant hall.