EXCLUSIVE A bitter neighbour battle over EIGHT FOOT: How two men went to war over their narrow shared driveway... but two years later who won?

Daily Mail​

12-05-2025

It was the neighbourly feud to end all neighbourly feuds and although the players have changed, in one leafy North London neighbourhood the game is still the same.
Like all neighbours, Alisson Roberto Teixeira and Robert Medcalfe had started out as acquaintances, swapping catch ups about their lives and local area over their 8-foot shared driveway in Dollis Hill, North London.
However, this small patch of communal tarmac was to prove the pair's no-mans land after Italian businessman Teixeira decided he wanted to make use of it in a manner that appalled Medcalfe.
And so, in 2022 things came to a head after ambitious plans were submitted to Brent council for Teixeira to build a brand new house behind his property using the 2.7m-wide shared driveway as an access road - with the project estimated to cost up to £2million to complete.
Locals were appalled and his neighbour felt betrayed, saying at the time: 'How can you try to do something with someone's property without speaking with them and getting permission? That's not what neighbours do.'
But do, Teixeria did, and it was only after spending £7,500 fighting his former friend that Medcalfe was able to claw back the dignity of protecting his driveway by stopping the plans in their tracks.
However, the fight took a heavy toll.
Last year, in a boon for Mr Teixeira, Mr Medcalfe raised the white flag and decided to cut his losses with neighbours telling MailOnline the 'stress and aggravation' had been too much.
Now fresh of his triumph, Mr Teixeira has submitted fresh plans to the council for the controversial development, which will see three garages pulled down for access and the creation of two new parking spaces.
When MailOnline visited the two warring properties today we were told that since Mr Medcalfe moved out last year, new tenants have moved in.
It is unclear if they are aware of the scale of the plans.
Mr Teixera's large property is currently being rented out to a young family who said they had been informed of the new plans, however the man himself was not available for comment.
The sheer scale of the plans has always been a controversial matter along the Dorris Hill boulevard.
If approved, the home would feature a substantial basement boasting a wine cellar, games room and a bar, with plans showing it spread over two and a half storeys.
A garage would need to be knocked down to make way for the home.
Concerns came about over the requirement for future residents to use Mr Teixeira and Mr Medcalfe's shared driveway to get to the property.
Mr Medcalfe said he was never consulted over this plan, which he said 'relies on my consent', which would also see construction vehicles travel up and down it during the build.
This would have prevented him accessing his own drive and by default, his own home and garage.
There were also fears emergency services would not be able to gain access to a new house at the back, as the driveway is only 2.7 metres wide, neighbours told MailOnline.
Speaking last year, neighbour Reza, told MailOnline the fight took a serious toll on Robert, explaining: 'He sold up because he had so much stress over the last couple of years with what was going on.'
He added: 'It just gradually built up and I think eventually he couldn't handle the stress and aggravation any longer, that's why he's moved.
'It started off with a one and a half storey building in the back garden, then it went to a storey plus a loft conversion and a basement believe it or not.
'It's a shared drive, you can't have access to a house via a shared drive, it's meant to be for both houses.
'They took it to appeal but the appeal was turned down eventually. I don't know what the plan is, whether they'll go back and redo it, I don't know.
'If it went to a two-and-a-half storey, that's quite high. That's quite a big building.
'I think it was going to be an HMO as well, bring so many extra cars and completely change the whole environment.
'The basement had a cellar, wine bar, the only thing that was missing was a disco and you could have a good time in there.
'It is ridiculous, someone in this area, it made no sense for all the other buildings.
'It's a very quiet area and would change the atmosphere of the place. They went to appeal, which I think is as far as you can take it.
'Everyone was against it.'
Documents showed Mr Teixeira, who rents out the property to a group of Brazilian moped delivery drivers, owned the plot of land where he hoped to build a three bed house of multiple occupancy with a carpark.