Inside Hollywood A-lister’s bitter row with Oxfordshire neighbours as feud rages over a FENCE
HOLLYWOOD A-lister Tim Burton is embroiled in a long-running and bitter row with his Brit neighbours – over a FENCE.
The US film director, 63, owns a Grade-II-listed 18th-century property worth £2.9million in the Cotswolds.
Tim moved into the stunning residence in 2008, with his then-partner Helena Bonham Carter.
The property was once owned by The Crown actress Helena’s great-grandfather Herbert Asquith.
But several years ago, Tim enraged locals by erecting a 7ft-high fence, running 130ft in length around the riverside home.
Explaining the apparent issue, local newspaper the Oxford Mail states “for generations residents had enjoyed unrestricted access to the river Thames via the islands that join the weirs but the 130 foot-long wooden structure that appeared out of the blue is now in the way”.
‘ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR’
In October 2020, Sutton Courtenay Parish Councillor Richard Webber insisted Tim put up the giant fence in response to incidents of antisocial behaviour on his land.
This included littering – yet some rogue locals have since reportedly “fly-tipped” his grounds in retaliation.
Cllr Webber has now said there is “no long term solution” to the on-going feud between Tim and his neighbours.
He has urged residents to be “polite” and has written a letter directly to multimillionaire Tim.
“Given the potential consequences of legal confrontation, that it might take years to resolve and the only certain beneficiaries would be lawyers and one side only, this route should be avoided,” he has told the Oxford Mail.
“The best chance of a satisfactory outcome for everyone is to be patient, reasonable and polite.
“I have written to the landowner a letter which includes an apology for the behaviour of a small minority of irresponsible people who have left litter and displayed some antisocial behaviour – this is an undeniable fact.”
Cllr Webber added a solution needs to be negotiated “involving restoring some limited public access”.
The best chance of a satisfactory outcome for everyone is to be patient, reasonable and polite.
Sutton Courtenay Parish Councillor Richard Webber
Tim is best known for his work on films including Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands and Sleepy Hollow.
In 2005, he directed the remake of the Roald Dahl classic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Tim met Helena Bonham Carter while filming Planet Of The Apes in 2001 and they enjoyed a romantic relationship.
The couple had two children together, a son born in 2003 and a daughter in 2007.
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In December 2014, Helena confirmed via her rep that she and Tim had broken up and that it had been an “amicable” split.
The couple weren’t believed to have married during their relationship.
Tim, who grew up in California, is estimated to be worth £100million.
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