Millionaire row residents are celebrating after blocking their neighbour from chopping down two protected yew trees in the garden of his £1.4million home.
Peter Sykes had planned to tear down the 30-foot-high yew trees in his garden to make space for a new building and parking bays at the front of his house.
His neighbours then kicked up a fuss, saying it would have been a 'travesty of justice' if the trees were removed as they are 'over 60 years old and in good condition'.
They are now 'delighted' that the plan has been defeated, saying that people 'both in the street and nearby' had been concerned.
Mr Sykes, who lives in Andover, Hampshire, does not live in the home and has reportedly left it empty for the past five years.
The house has been owned by his family since the 1960s and neighbours now want him to sell it to someone who can restore the plot.
He has had several tenants, and recently it is believed that Polish contractors have been living there while they undertake maintenance work.
Last year, Mr Sykes left his neighbours furious when he won approval to 'squeeze' a new house into his garden in Winchester, Hampshire, in May 2025, with the condition that the trees were conserved.
He decided to challenge Winchester City Council's decision about the trees, but now it has been rejected unanimously at a planning committee meeting.
The application caused major upset to the neighbours, on the road where homes cost an average of £1.442million, who said that he should sell the property which they claim he has turned to 'rack and ruin'.
The neighbours have accused him of 'manipulating' the planning process on the property - which no one has lived in permanently for five years.
It is believed that Mr Sykes still has a desire to live in the four-bedroom property - despite never having done so in the past.
The £1.44million home is a district of the cathedral city, which was one of the first conservation areas in the country.
Fifteen neighbours put in objections to the plans and claimed the removal would have affected the 'quaint' and 'quirky' area.
They also raised concerns about parking on the narrow street if more work is undertaken - as there is not enough space for lorries to turn on the road.
His neighbours said it would have been a 'travesty of justice' if the trees were to be removed
Reacting to the decision to preserve the trees, retired lawyer Nick Page, 69, who has lived next door with his wife since 1994, said he was 'delighted'.
He said: 'I am very happy to say that everybody in the road and surrounding roads are delighted about the planning committee's decision to confirm the tree preservation order on the two yew trees.
'Everybody thinks it is important to preserve the character of this conservation area, including the mature trees and it would have been a travesty if the planning committee had permitted these trees to be taken down, after they had granted planning permission for a new house.
'We were very impressed at the way the planning committee dealt with the issues at the meeting and the manner in which they endorsed the recommendations of their tree preservation officers.
'I think it is right to say there is ongoing concern about the preservation of other trees on the site and the manner in which the building works will be carried out.'
Peter Moir, 78, (left) who has lived opposite the house with his wife since 1992, and Nick Page, 69, (right) who has lived next door with his wife since 1994, have both heavily objected to the plans
Last year, Mr Sykes left his neighbours furious when he won approval to 'squeeze' a new house into his garden in Winchester, Hampshire, in May 2025, with the condition that the trees were conserved.
He decided to challenge Winchester City Council's decision about the trees, but now it has been rejected unanimously at a planning committee meeting.
The application caused major upset to the neighbours, on the road where homes cost an average of £1.442million, who said that he should sell the property which they claim he has turned to 'rack and ruin'.
The neighbours have accused him of 'manipulating' the planning process on the property - which no one has lived in permanently for five years.
It is believed that Mr Sykes still has a desire to live in the four-bedroom property - despite never having done so in the past.
The £1.44million home is a district of the cathedral city, which was one of the first conservation areas in the country.
Fifteen neighbours put in objections to the plans and claimed the removal would have affected the 'quaint' and 'quirky' area.
They also raised concerns about parking on the narrow street if more work is undertaken - as there is not enough space for lorries to turn on the road.
His neighbours said it would have been a 'travesty of justice' if the trees were to be removed
Reacting to the decision to preserve the trees, retired lawyer Nick Page, 69, who has lived next door with his wife since 1994, said he was 'delighted'.
He said: 'I am very happy to say that everybody in the road and surrounding roads are delighted about the planning committee's decision to confirm the tree preservation order on the two yew trees.
'Everybody thinks it is important to preserve the character of this conservation area, including the mature trees and it would have been a travesty if the planning committee had permitted these trees to be taken down, after they had granted planning permission for a new house.
'We were very impressed at the way the planning committee dealt with the issues at the meeting and the manner in which they endorsed the recommendations of their tree preservation officers.
'I think it is right to say there is ongoing concern about the preservation of other trees on the site and the manner in which the building works will be carried out.'
Peter Moir, 78, (left) who has lived opposite the house with his wife since 1992, and Nick Page, 69, (right) who has lived next door with his wife since 1994, have both heavily objected to the plans
Last year, Mr Sykes left his neighbours furious when he won approval to 'squeeze' a new house into his garden in Winchester, Hampshire, in May 2025, with the condition that the trees were conserved.
He decided to challenge Winchester City Council's decision about the trees, but now it has been rejected unanimously at a planning committee meeting.
The application caused major upset to the neighbours, on the road where homes cost an average of £1.442million, who said that he should sell the property which they claim he has turned to 'rack and ruin'.
The neighbours have accused him of 'manipulating'the planning process onthe property - which no one has lived in permanently for five years.
It is believed that Mr Sykes still has a desire to live inthe four-bedroom property - despite never having done so inthe past.
The £1.44million home is adistrict ofthe cathedral city, whichwas oneofthe first conservation areas inthe country.
Fifteen neighbours putin objections tothe plans and claimedtheremoval wouldhave affectedthe 'quaint'and 'quirky'area.
Theyalsoraised concerns aboutparkingonthenarrow streetifmoreworkisundertaken -asthereisnotenoughspaceforlorrie stoturnontheroad.
His neighbours said it would have been a 'travesty of justice' ifthe trees wereto beremoved
Reacting tothe decision topreserve the trees, retired lawyer Nick Page, 69, whohas lived next doorwithhis wifesince1994, said hewas 'delighted'.
He said: 'I am very happy tosay thateverybody inthe roadandsurrounding roadsaredelighted aboutthe planning committee'sdecision toconfirmthe tree preservation orderonthetwo yewtrees.
'Everybody thinksitisimportant topreservethe characterofthis conservation area,includ ingthematuretreesanditwouldhavebeenatravestyifthe planningcommitteehadpermittedthesetrees tobetaken down,aftertheyhadgrantedplanningpermissionforanewhouse.
'Wewereveryimpressedatthewaytheplanningcommittee dealtwiththeissuesatthemeetingandthemannerinwhich theyendorsedtherecommendationsoftheirtreepreservationofficers.
'Ithinkitisrighttosaythereisongoingconcernaboutthe preservationofothertreesonthesiteandthemannerinwhich buildingworkswillbecarriedout.'
Peter Moir, 78,(left)whohaslivedoppositehousewithhiswifesince1992,andNickPage,69,(right)whohaslivednextdoorwithhiswifesince1994,hav ebothheavilyobjectedtoplans
Lastyear,MrSykeslefthisneighboursfuri ouswhenhewonapprovalto'squeeze'a newhouseintohisgardeninWinchester,H ampshire,inMay2025,theconditionthatt hetreeswereconserved.
HedecidedtochallengeWinchesterCityC ouncil'sdecisionaboutthetrees,butnowit hasbeenrejectedunanimouslyataplan ningcommittee meeting.
Theapplicationcausedmajorupsettotheneighbours,ontheroadwherehomescostanaverageof£1.442million,w ho saidthat heshouldsellthepropertywhich theyclaimhehasturnedto'rackandruin'.
Theneighbourshaveaccusedhimof'manip ulating'theplanningprocessontheproperty -whichnoonehaslivedinpermanentlyfor fiveyears.
ItisbelievedthatMrSykesstillhasades ire toliveinthefour-bedroomproperty-despite neverhavingdonesointhepast.
The£1.44millionhomeisadistrictofthe cathedralcity,whichwasoneofthefirstcon servationareasinthecountry.
Fifteenneighboursputinobjectionstothe plansandclaimedtheremovalwouldhaveaff ectedthe'q uaint'and'q uirky'area.
Theyalsoraisedconcernsaboutparkingonthen arrowstreetifmoreworkisundertaken-asthere isnotenoughspaceforlorr iestoturnontheroad .
Hisneighbourssaiditwouldhavebeen'a't ravestyofjustice'ifthetreesweretoberem oved
Reactingto thedecisiontopreservethetrees ,retiredlawyerNickPage ,69 ,whohaslivednextdoorwithhiswifesince1994 ,saidhew as'delighted'.
Hesaid :'I am very happy tosay thateverybody intheroadandsurroundingroadsaredelighted abouttheplanningcommittee'sdecisiontoconfirmthetree preservationorderonthetwoyewtrees .
'Everybody thinksitisimportant topreservethecharacterofthisconservationarea ,includingthematuretreesanditwouldhavebeenatravestyifthe planningcommitteehad permittedthesetrees tobetakendown ,aftertheyhadgrantedplanningpermissionforanewhouse .
'Wewereveryimpressedatthewaytheplanningcommittee dealtwiththeissuesatthemeetingandthemannerinwhich theyendorsedtherecommendationsoftheirtreepreservationofficers .
'Ithinkitisrighttosaythereisongoingconcernaboutthepreservationofothertreesonthesiteandthemannerinwhichbuildingworkswillbecarriedout .'
PeterMoir ,78 ,(left)whohaslivedoppositehousewithhiswifesince1992 ,andNickPage ,69 ,(right)whohaslivednextdoorwithhiswifesince1994 ,havebothheavilyobjectedtoplans
Lastyear ,MrSykeslefthisneighboursfuri ouswhenhewonapprovalto'squeeze'a newhouseintohisgardeninWinchester,H ampshire,inMay2025,theconditionthatt hetreeswereconserved.
HedecidedtochallengeWinchesterCityC ouncil'sdecisionaboutthetrees,butnowit hasbeenrejectedunanimouslyataplan ningcommittee meeting.
Theapplicationcausedmajorupsettotheneighbours,ontheroadwherehomescostanaverageof£1.442million,w ho saidthat heshouldsellthepropertywhich theyclaimhehasturnedto'rackandruin'.
Theneighbourshaveaccusedhimof'manip ulating'theplanningprocessontheproperty -whichnoonehaslivedinpermanentlyfor fiveyears.
ItisbelievedthatMrSykesstillhasades ire toliveinthefour-bedroomproperty-despite neverhavingdonesointhepast.
The£1.44millionhomeisadistrictofthe cathedralcity,whichwasoneofthefirstcon servationareasinthecountry.
Fifteenneighboursputinobjectionstothe plansandclaimedtheremovalwouldhaveaff ectedthe'q uaint'and'q uirky'area.
Theyalsoraisedconcernsaboutparkingonthen arrowstreetifmoreworkisundertaken-asthere isnotenoughspaceforlorr iestoturnontheroad .
Hisneighbourssaiditwouldhavebeen'a't ravestyofjustice'ifthetreesweretoberem oved
Reactingto thedecisiontopreservethetrees ,retiredlawyerNickPage ,69 ,whohaslivednextdoorwithhiswifesince1994 ,saidhew as'delighted'.
Hesaid :'I am very happy tosay thateverybody intheroadandsurroundingroadsaredelighted abouttheplanningcommittee'sdecisiontoconfirmthetree preservationorderonthetwoyewtrees.
'Everybody thinksitisimportant topreservethecharacterofthisconservationarea,includ ingthematuretreesanditwouldhavebeenatravestyifthe planningcommitteehadpermittedthese trees tobetaken down,aftertheyhadgrantedplanningpermissionforanewhouse.
'Wewereveryimpressedatthewaytheplanningcommittee dealtwiththeissuesatthemeetingandthemannerinwhich theyendorsedtherecommendations oftheir treepreservationofficers.
'Ithinkitisrighttosaythereisongoingconcernaboutthepreservationofother treesonthesiteandthemannerinwhichbuildingworkswillbecarriedout.'
Peter Moir ,78 ,(left)whohaslivedoppositehousewithhiswifesince1992 ,andNick Page ,69 ,(right)whohaslivednextdoorwithhiswifesince1994 ,have bothheavilyobjectedtoplans
Lastyear ,Mr Sykes left his neighbours furious when he won approval to 'squeeze' a new house into his garden in Winchester ,Hampshire ,in May 2025 ,withthe condition thatthe trees were conserved .
He decidedto challenge Winchester City Council's decision aboutthe trees ,but nowit has been rejected unanimously at a planning committee meeting .
The application caused major upsetto theneighbours ,ontheroad where homes costan averageof £1.442 million ,who saidthat heshould sellthe property which they claim hehas turnedto 'rack and ruin'.
The neighbours have accused him of 'manipulating' th eplanning process onthe property -which no one has livedin permanently for five years .
It is believed that Mr Sykes still has a desire to live inthe four-bedroom property -despite never having done so inthe past .
The £1.44 million home is adistrict ofthe cathedral city ,which was oneofthe first conservation areas inthe country .
Fifteen neighbours put in objections tothe plans and claimedtheremoval wouldhave affectedthe 'quaint' and 'quirky' area .
They also raised concerns about parking onthenarrow street ifmore work is undertaken -as there is not enough space for lorries to turn ontheroad .
His neighbours said it would have been a 'travesty of justice' ifthe trees wereto beremoved
Reacting tothe decision topreserve the trees ,retired lawyer Nick Page ,69 ,who has lived next door with his wife since 1994 ,said he was 'delighted'.
He said: 'I am very happy to say that everybody in the road and surrounding roads are delighted about the planning committee's decision to confirm the tree preservation order on the two yew trees.
'Everybody thinks it is important to preserve the character of this conservation area, including the mature trees and it would have been a travesty if the planning committee had permitted these trees to be taken down, after they had granted planning permission for a new house.
'We were very impressed at the way the planning committee dealt with the issues at the meeting and the manner in which they endorsed the recommendations of their tree preservation officers.
'I think it is right to say there is ongoing concern about the preservation of other trees on the site and the manner in which the building works will be carried out.'
Peter Moir, 78, (left) who has lived opposite the house with his wife since 1992, and Nick Page, 69, (right) who has lived next door with his wife since 1994, have both heavily objected to the plans.
Last year, Mr Sykes left his neighbours furious when he won