£200,000 bill for company boss in row with neighbour over drive

A company boss who went to war with his City banker neighbour in a row over an access road, a fence and a loose screw landed a £200,000 legal bill at the High Court today.

Their legal battle was sparked by a dispute at their £1million gated development homes in Haywards Heath on the Sussex Downs.

Simon Baynes Clarke, who runs construction firm BC Construct Assist, went to court after his neighbour Michael Corless, former head of UK equities for Scottish Widows, bought the access road to both homes in 2004.

He claimed the road should be subject to a constructive trust - but the dispute grew to the extent that Mr Baynes Clarke complained about a screw which Mr Corless left in his fence to hold up a trellis.

Mrs Justice Proudman today rejected Mr Baynes Clarke's claim and attacked the cost of the case, though she ruled that a boundary wall belonged to him.