A legal dispute has arisen in Coulsdon, south London, between neighbours over a 24-foot garden structure built by Justin Salmon, president and senior secretary of non-league football club Sutton Common Rovers. The conflict centers on the nature of the structure, described by Salmon as a “den” or “man cave,” and by his neighbour, freeholder Andrianna Neophytou, as an unsightly addition that breaches lease terms.

Salmon and his wife Karen constructed the garden room at the rear of their property in 2018. The space, equipped with a television, bar, plastered walls, carpets, furniture, and decorative signs, provided extra living area for the couple, particularly during COVID-19 lockdowns. However, Neophytou, whose garden lies behind the Salmons’, objected to the structure, leading to deteriorated neighbourly relations by 2020 and eventually to legal action.

Neophytou initially secured a ruling from a First-tier Tribunal stating that the garden room violated the lease, which allowed only for a simple shed and a pergola. Following this, Salmon modified the structure, but Neophytou contends these changes were insufficient. According to her, the building was transformed merely into an open-sided outdoor bar, replacing the “Man Cave” sign with one labeled “Shed for Domestic Purposes,” but still not meeting lease conditions. She describes the entire construction as “one long structure” and an “eyesore,” emphasizing her displeasure at its impact on her view and property enjoyment.

Salmon and his legal representatives argue the structure now complies with lease provisions, classifying it as no more than a typical garden shed and pergola. They highlight that Salmon had received permission from Neophytou in 2017 to install a pergola before adding a shed and eventually covering the space to create the current garden room. Their barrister characterized the building as a “pergola-type” structure falling within the scope of allowed modifications.

The case, heard before Judge Nicholas Parfitt at the Mayor’s and City of London County Court, has not yet been decided. Both parties acknowledge the significant legal expenses involved, with estimated costs exceeding £100,000. Neophytou’s barrister stressed that while permission was granted for the pergola, the larger garden-room structure was never approved, criticizing the Salmons for making only incremental adjustments instead of full compliance.

The judge reserved his ruling, leaving the future of the garden room uncertain as the legal process continues.