Stars At War Over Hollywood Hills Access Road

The trio lives in the swanky Beverly Park compound near Mulholland Drive in Los Angeles, where sprawling estates cost upwards of $14 million (GBP9.3 million).

But their gated peace of mind has literally hit a bump in the road - a new row over an access street has split the north and south sides of the community, which also includes homes owned by singer Reba MCEntire and Sylvester Stallone.

According to the Los Angeles Times newspaper, residents of North Beverly Park, which include Stallone, Murphy and Washington, are attempting to limit their South Beverly Park neighbours' use of a road that winds through their neighbourhood - because residents there are refusing to pay for the access route's security and maintenance.

As a result, while South Beverly Park residents, including Jackson, can still use the short cut, their relatives, guests, gardeners and nannies have to wind around the hills for six miles to enter through the neighbourhood's south gate.

And the southerners are so livid about the new restrictions, they're suing the North Beverly Park Homeowners Association, the organisation behind the new road access rules.

Movie producer Mike Medavoy's wife Irena, who lives in North Beverly Park, insists she and her neighbours have every right to prevent contractors from using their streets as access roads to the south.

She tells the publication, "We don't know these workers. We don't know who's coming in. We're going to have to add extra security."

Medavoy insists the North Beverly Park neighbours are merely hoping for a contribution from their southern neighbours, so that roads can be maintained and security improved.

Lawyers for both sides in the bizarre community battle are expected to make their closing arguments in Santa Monica Superior Court, California on Friday (21Nov08).