A Labour peer is suing his neighbour for “trespassing” by building a basement which spreads out under his £3 million property in north London.
Lord Mitchell claims Daphne Gillian Singer, who lives behind him in Hampstead, has undertaken “hidden” works by digging up a small courtyard next to both of their homes.
The small piece of land is owned by the shadow business minister and he obtained an injunction to block her from continuing work on the basement, which was set to include two bedrooms, en suite bathrooms and a lounge area.
The peer and his wife have lodged a writ at the High Court and are seeking up to £200,000 in damages after Ms Singer allegedly built walls under their land without the couple’s consent. The Mitchells claim this “encroaches” on their property.
When approached by the Standard today Lord Mitchell declined to comment, but he had earlier told a newspaper: “Relations between us are not exactly what you would call cordial. I think that [she] has made a mistake as to where her land ends and ours begins. Our preferred option is that she reinstate our land to the status quo ante.”
Ms Singer, who had been granted planning permission for the basement by Camden council, mistakenly believed she owned the “sliver” of land outside her front door in the courtyard. She has offered to buy the plot from the Mitchells, but the offer is yet to be accepted.
Today Ms Singer, in her late sixties, told the Standard: “It has all been blown out of proportion.”
Neighbours said there had been three basement developments surrounding Lord Mitchell’s home in the past few years.
One resident, who did not wish to be named, said: “They (the Mitchells) are the arch protesters of Hampstead. They are in a permanent state of indignation.
“There have been a few basement developments around here and nothing has fallen down yet.”
Ms Singer’s solicitor confirmed that his client had “done work” under Lord Mitchell’s land without his consent, but added: “This involves a very small sliver of land that she has offered to buy. She hopes to have the whole issue resolved as quickly as possible.”
