Film director’s fence will take heart out of village, say residents
A RIGHT of way row has broken out between Tim Burton, the Hollywood director, and residents after a fence was erected on his property that blocks access to a riverside walk.
The filmmaker bought a £2.9million Grade II listed mansion in the Cotswolds more than a decade ago with Helena Bonham Carter, the actress who was his partner at the time.
Residents of Sutton Courtenay, Oxon, claim that the wooden fence appeared on his land two weeks ago, allegedly blocking a path used by the public to access weirs and pools around the Thames. Villagers are campaigning to have it removed, warning that if it remains “the heart of the village will be gone forever”. Some have even threatened to tear it down if it is not removed.
Chris Dalton, a local resident, said he had opened a planning dispute against the fence in which he claims that the house is a listed building and next to a path often used by the public.
“I live in the village and believe there are a few things we can do to organise and fight the fence,” he posted on a Facebook group. “I believe that ultimately money wins planning disputes but this is worth a try.” Mr Dalton said he had informed the council that the path had allegedly been blocked and added: “If we can prove that there has been continuous access to these areas for over 20 years then we can get them on the map and protected.
“If we do nothing then the heart of the village will be gone forever.”
Nicola Lewis, another local resident, said: “I’m now in my 50s but I grew up with everyone having fun down there and took my children there … it should not be taken from the public.”
Luke Stroud added: “My family have been in the village for four generations and all used the Weir pools. If it comes to it I’ll remove the fence myself.”
Richard Webber, a parish councillor, told The Daily Telegraph that the fence blocked a “very picturesque” path which had been in regular use by the villagers for decades. Describing the situation as “very delicate”, he said: “Some of the residents don’t quite understand the difference between a right of way and a right to roam.
“It’s all sensitive because the fence has actually been put up on the owner’s private land, so they have a right to do that, but the issue is the footpath has been used as a right of way for many years now.
“What locals don’t actually quite realise is that if the fence was taken down, they would have no right to roam, they would only have the right to use it as a path to access the edge of the water.” He said negotiations with Mr
Burton were under way, adding. “I think we could get a completely costfree solution if we agreed a few notices saying ‘please keep to the path, you can walk through by kind permission’.”
The 18th-century home once belonged to Herbert Asquith, the former prime minister who was Ms Bonham Carter’s great grandfather.
A spokesman for the district council said the site had not been visited yet, but an investigation into the “allegation of an unauthorised erection of a fence over two metres” had been opened. Mr Burton could not be reached for comment.