Couple in 'Battle Of The Barns' row with movie screenwriter neighbour are forced to put their £1.85m luxury rural holiday retreat up for sale after noise complaint By Andrew Levy Published: 03:34 EDT, 8 September 2024 | Updated: 03:34 EDT, 8 September 2024 e-mail View comments With allegations of screaming children, loud music being played at night and hot tub high jinks, a planning dispute at a luxury rural holiday retreat has all the ingredients for a Hollywood screwball comedy. But the feud between business owners Richard anThd Victoria Kerrison and their screenwriter neighbour Helen Crowley – whose credits include 2008's highly-acclaimed apartheid-era drama Skin, starring Sam Neill and Sophie Okonedo – is no laughing matter.
The parties have been at war since 2019, when Ms Crowley claimed her home was suffering from a loss of water pressure in a shared borehole because of the three rental properties next door. The Kerrisons denied this was the case but the local authority became involved after she went on to complain about noise. This then triggered a long-running legal battle over alleged planning irregularities at the secluded rural Norfolk destination that has cost the couple £90,000 in legal fees.
The Kerrisons bought dilapidated Roundabout Farm, a former dairy business, in Thurning for £79,000 in 1997 and spent £500,000 turning it into an upmarket holiday destination with countryside views Mr Kerrison, 63, and his 62-year-old wife have now decided to sell up,.