AN Anti-Social Behaviour Act complaint has been made against a multi-millionaire Edington estate owner – by his neighbour who objects to a yew hedge.

Christopher Parsons, 78, claims the yew hedge on US man Chad Pike’s estate appeared overnight and blocks light coming into his garden.

He has written to Wiltshire Council, which investigate to see if it breaches the 2003 Act.

Since his application, the three-metre-high hedge has been cut to two metres, but Mr Parsons wants it all gone.

He said: “There was no warning at all about this hedge; it just went up.

“He said I would be a laughing stock if I pursued this with the council, but I said no, he would be. I went away on Friday and, when I got back, three feet had been cut off the top. It still blocks the view from my garden.”

Mr Parsons, a former Royal Navy flier and commercial pilot and a Trowbridge magistrate for 18 years, has lived in Inmead for 30 years.

A hedge is covered by anti-social behaviour laws if it is ‘mostly evergreen and deemed to affect enjoyment of a neighbour’s home’.

Mr Pike, European vice-president of property firm Blackstone, has drawn criticism in national newspapers for alleged plans to run activity holidays on his estate, behind the Priory Church.

Other residents have defended him, saying he has contributed £60,000 to the Priory Church organ fund, restored the Three Daggers pub and is building a new farm shop.

Paul Millard, 60, of Court Lane, said: “Chad Pike’s investment has restored and revived a village pub that had failed and closed and he is building a fantastic village shop that will provide direct employment and an outlet for locally-produced food.

“He has brought my late father-in-law’s old farm and buildings back into productive use.”

Edington Parish Council said it was aware of concerns about some of the rapid changes taking place and, in particular, about Mr Pike’s purchase of some other village houses and whether they were to be part of an activity holiday enterprise.

It added: “We believe it may now be timely for a direct discussion with Mr Pike about his strategy for such further developments.”

Mr Pike was unavailable for comment.