If you read my original thread about my neighbour's unreasonable demands in a not like for like replacement of a Hawthorn tree in a shared hedge, there is an update.
I have paid for the replacement with a different larger tree in a different spot. However, it has made me feel so different about living here. They are new neighbours so I haven't felt this way before.
Our very large garden is L shaped. The bottom of the L adjoins their garden and the bottom of the L runs along the bottom of other neighbours' gardens. That part of the garden is about 0.2 acres square. It has access of 4 metres wide to a main road and is in an allowed development area within our village. When we purchased the house 5 years ago we were told that it was prime development. We didn't develop it as we wanted to stay in our home and wanted a huge garden.
We are now working with an architect to put plans together for 2 or possibly 3 detached 3/4 bed houses. We live an hours commute from the City of London and the land would be worth over £300k. It would clear our mortgage and would still leave our home with a large garden so would not reduce our house value much at all.
We could then sell up, have a bigger house with half the mortage. No brainer really.
Silly neighbours have forced our hand.