Architect sues millionaire ex-lover over £1million renovation of Caribbean villa
A MARRIED architect and his millionaire former lover are locked in a court battle over the stunning renovation of their Caribbean home.
Alfred Munkenbeck and aromatherapist Anastasia Alexander were ‘in a romantic relationship’ in 2011 when they agreed to spend more than £1million transforming the holiday home in st Lucia.
It was originally owned by Miss Alexander and her lover was given joint ownership of the house as part payment for his work. The project took five years and turned the £150,000 property into a seven-bedroom complex hailed as a stunning ‘architectural statement’ for which guests are charged up to £1,350 a night.
Extending out over a 500ft cliff, Villa Coulibri comes with a 48ft infinity pool that offers views across the Caribbean. But in 2014, before the work was complete, the couple’s ‘personal relationship irretrievably broke down’, court documents state.
Mr Munkenbeck then spent £500,000 finishing the job and is now suing Miss Alexander in the High Court for a £250,000 contribution to the costs.
However, she claims the architect carried out ‘unnecessary’ building and design work and ‘ignored the terms of the parties’ agreement’.
Miss Alexander, who ran an aromatherapy beauty products business, said Mr Munkenbeck ‘made unilateral decisions which caused further substantial increases to the costs of the property’s development,’ above the £1.05million they had agreed.
Barrister Dov Ohrenstein says, Miss Alexander, who lives in a £2.5million barn conversion in Holmbury st Mary, surrey, should not be held personally liable for any claim by Mr Munkenbeck as the ownership of the villa has now been transferred to a company that the pair control.
Mr Munkenbeck, 70, married fashion expert Paula Reed, 56, in 1992 and the couple have three children. They were listed as living together in their family home in west London at the time of his relationship with Miss Alexander.
The contents of the writ and the defence have yet to be tested in evidence before a judge.
neither party could be contacted for comment yesterday.