A bitter neighbourhood dispute over the height of a lilly paddy hedge in one of Sydney’s wealthiest suburbs has come to an end after the matter was taken to court.
The dispute began in 2022 when the hedge at the back of a Mosman property owned by Amanda Unsworth and her husband began blocking views of the city skyline from the home of their neighbour and artist Lucy Hennessy.
Ms Hennessy and her husband had bought their four-bedroom home in 2009 for $3.3 million and enjoyed views west over Mosman, Cremorne, Neutral Bay and the North Sydney skyline.
Their neighbors, the Unsworths, purchased their five-bedroom home on the city’s north side for $3.1 million in 2004.
All was going well until the Unsworths’ lilly pillies grew to a height of 600mm above the fence that separates the two houses at the back of their home.
Ms Hennessy took the matter to the Land and Environment Court in April last year, demanding her neighbour trim the hedge to the same height as the boundary fence.
Ms Hennessy argued the hedges were “seriously obstructing” views from her home.
Ms Unsworth challenged the order and two days before a court hearing on the matter was due to take place, she trimmed the hedge so that it was 400mm higher than the fence.
A neighbourhood dispute has erupted after a Mosman homeowner let her lilly pilly hedge grow higher than the boundary fence with her neighbour (pictured, red circle), blocking her views of the city skyline.
Lucy Hennessy took the matter to the Land and Environment Court, demanding that her neighbour cut back her hedge so she could once again have views of the city.
He later admitted in court that he had intended to let the hedge grow back to its original height of 600mm above the fence.
In December last year, Ms Unsworth was ordered to trim the hedge twice a year, in April and October, to a height no greater than 150mm above the fence.
The hedge was found to “reduce the view from the applicant’s west-facing windows such that only the sky remained visible above the trees.”
But Ms Unsworth was not ready to bring out the scissors just yet and appealed the decision, claiming procedural unfairness.
Amanda Unsworth and her husband bought their five-bedroom apartment in Mosman for $3.1 million in 2004.
Chief Justice Brian Preston rejected Ms Unsworth’s appeal, as seen in conclusions published last week, and ordered her to foot the bill for the appeal.
Ms Unsworth’s home is estimated to be worth $7.6 million today, while Ms Hennessy’s home is worth an estimated $8.6 million.
Both have two bathrooms, a swimming pool and a garage.
Ms Unsworth is married to solicitor Tim Unsworth, who also owns Unsworth Legal.
Ms. Hennessy, known for her work in abstract landscapes, is married to silk designer John Hennessy SC.
Ms Unsworth and Ms Hennessy have been contacted for further comment.