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Is end FINALLY in sight for 'world's most expensive bungalow'? Neighbours back Sandbanks tycoon's latest bid to knock down £13.5m 'white elephant' and replace it with dream home after 15-month battle

Daily Mail Online 2 days ago

Millionaire residents in Sandbanks are backing a tycoon's bid to demolish a mouldy bungalow he bought for £13.5million overlooking the sea and replace it with his dream home after it was rejected by planning bosses.

Tom Glanfield bought the run-down cottage on the largest plot of land on the exclusive peninsula in the hope of transforming it into a luxury eco-house.

But he was stunned when the local council refused him planning permission, stating the 117-year-old chalet bungalow was too important to bulldoze.

They said only a house of 'exceptional design quality' could be justified for destroying the cottage and Mr Glanfield's proposed home was too modern for that corner of the Poole Harbour peninsula.

Entrepreneur Mr Glanfield has gone back to the drawing board and altered the design of his proposed £7m two-storey, glass-fronted development.

Tom Glanfield (pictured) bought the run-down cottage on the largest plot of land on the exclusive peninsula
Tom Glanfield (pictured) bought the run-down cottage on the largest plot of land on the exclusive peninsula
CGI of the old plans for the house Tom Glanfield wants to build in Sandbanks
Pictured, CGI of the old plans compared to the new plans. The new plans will 'blend in with the sylvan setting'
CGI of the new plans which will use more traditional building materials
The four-bedroom home had been in the same family for 117 years after Victorian botanist Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker bought a piece of land
The four-bedroom home had been in the same family for 117 years after Victorian botanist Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker bought a piece of land
Local businessman Toby Irons (pictured) who lives nearby has shown his support for the design
Local businessman Toby Irons (pictured) who lives nearby has shown his support for the design
Rob Wylie, the self-made millionaire founder of backpack brand Osprey Europe has also shown his support for the design
Rob Wylie, the self-made millionaire founder of backpack brand Osprey Europe has also shown his support for the design

He will now use more traditional building materials, like natural Purbeck stone, so the home will 'blend in with the sylvan setting' of the neighbourhood.

And since he re-submitted his plans more than 20 of his Sandbanks neighbours have written in letters of support.

Mr Glanfield, 46, has only lived on Sandbanks for 16 months but he seems to have made quite an impression on the well-to-do locals.

Many say that while the colonial-style cottage may appear charming it has had its day, is falling down and is ripe for redevelopment.

And they have praised Mr Glanfield for wanting to invest a great deal of money into the peninsula.

Businessman Toby Irons, who lives nearby, said: 'As a Sandbanks resident and a friend of the owner, I've personally visited the current house and seen its state of disrepair.

The recruitment boss said the bungalow is in desperate need of a complete overhaul, with a dilapidated airing cupboard showing cracks in the door and shelving
The recruitment boss said the bungalow is in desperate need of a complete overhaul, with a dilapidated airing cupboard showing cracks in the door and shelving
Tom Glanfield (pictured right) standing in the rear of the property in Sandbanks, Dorset, which is part of a 1.4 acre plot with a huge garden providing uninterrupted views across Poole Harbour
Tom Glanfield (pictured right) standing in the rear of the property in Sandbanks, Dorset, which is part of a 1.4 acre plot with a huge garden providing uninterrupted views across Poole Harbour
Sandbanks - Britain's answer to Miami Beach - has been one of the most desirable places to live in the UK for over 20 years due to its position at Poole Harbour
Sandbanks - Britain's answer to Miami Beach - has been one of the most desirable places to live in the UK for over 20 years due to its position at Poole Harbour

'This house and plot is in urgent need of redevelopment.

'Having got to know Tom it's great to see someone who's prepared to invest so much money into this development and he has come up together with local architects with a beautiful design.

'This needs to be approved urgently to allow Tom to build a house Sandbanks can be proud of.'

James Hunter Smart, who owns a successful film production company and also lives on Panorama Road, said: 'Unlike the ugly structures that the council have approved in recent years on Sandbanks, this proposal will enhance the area, particularly when viewed from the harbour on this iconic plot.'

Rob Wylie, the self-made millionaire founder of backpack brand Osprey Europe, said: 'We have lived on the peninsula for three years and over that time have seen a lot of old buildings demolished and replaced by more modern buildings that utilise the available land a lot better than the house which was replaced.

'Most/all of those new buildings are very modern in appearance and very similar to our property which is one of the iconic houses on the peninsula.

'These plans are no different from the many others currently being built or already completed. The finished property will be an asset to the area.'

Simon Spaull, an internet millionaire who lives in a waterfront mansion, said: 'My family and I love the fact it's not a developer but a family man who will build a family home.

'The designs we have seen look incredible, just what that plot deserves.'

His wife Melanie Spaull added: 'It will be a beautiful piece of stunning architecture and had this been a tall glass modern structure I would object, but as this is very encompassing of its surrounding area and perfectly fitting for Sandbanks.'

Lucie Allen, who lives with her businessman husband Stephen on Banks Road, said: 'Having watched this beautiful site on a prominent part of the peninsula fall into disrepair, I'm delighted to support this sympathetic and quality family home.

Pictured: The old-fashioned kitchen and dining area of the old bungalow
Pictured: The old-fashioned kitchen and dining area of the old bungalow 
Mr Glanfield has described the swimming pool at his bungalow as a 'death trap' that is in need of renovation
Mr Glanfield has described the swimming pool at his bungalow as a 'death trap' that is in need of renovation
Sandbanks has seen an influx of foreign investment over the past 20 years, but local Mr Glanfield says he will build a low-rise home
Sandbanks has seen an influx of foreign investment over the past 20 years, but local Mr Glanfield says he will build a low-rise home
The recruitment boss has responded to criticism over his renovation plans by detailing how he needs to invest up to £1million for a new sea defence alone
The recruitment boss has responded to criticism over his renovation plans by detailing how he needs to invest up to £1million for a new sea defence alone

'The site requires considerable investment, including to the sea wall and to see the whole project designed locally is equally pleasing.'

Long-time Sandbanks resident Georgina Stanley said: 'The current bungalow is a landmark, however it must be beyond sensible repair now and it makes no sense to do anything other than demolish it and start again.

'The proposed new house looks extremely nice, not too tall, not too imposing, not too modern and cleverly designed.

'I fully support the application and look forward to seeing the finished house in all its glory.'

One Sandbanks local said a reason why Mr Glanfield has so much support is that he has made himself part of the community since moving there in March 2023.

They said: 'It is his permanent home, it's not a second home that lies empty half of the year.

'He has immersed himself into Sandbanks life since he moved in. He is into watersports and has an e-foil board in the harbour. He also uses the local restaurants.'

A small second kitchen inside the bungalow (pictured) does not have any units aside from a sink and cupboard, which is seen to have cracks in it
A small second kitchen inside the bungalow (pictured) does not have any units aside from a sink and cupboard, which is seen to have cracks in it
The property has been billed as a bungalow, but does have stairs leading to a second floor room (pictured) providing further views of the harbour
The property has been billed as a bungalow, but does have stairs leading to a second floor room (pictured) providing further views of the harbour
A dilapidated outbuilding with two overturned boats outside, is seen with a number of cracks and holes in its doors
A dilapidated outbuilding with two overturned boats outside, is seen with a number of cracks and holes in its doors
Mr Glanfield says the current bungalow has nothing in the way of insulation and relies on obscene amounts of oil to keep it warm
Mr Glanfield (left) says the current bungalow has nothing in the way of insulation and relies on obscene amounts of oil to keep it warm
The living room of North Haven Point, on Millionaire's Row in Sandbanks, prior to Mr Glanfield's purchase
Mr Glanfield (pictured sitting on a deck chair in the living room of the bungalow, said the property is at increased risk from tidal storm surges
Mr Glanfield (pictured right sitting on a deck chair in the living room of the bungalow) said the property is at increased risk from tidal storm surges. Left: The property before Mr Glanfield snapped it up

In a design and access statement submitted to BCP Council as part of the planning application, Mr Glanfield's planning agent, Emily Jeffries said: 'The revised scheme has altered the selection of materials used to create a design using a combination of Purbeck Stone, timber on upper floors having a dark grey charred finish, and horizontal bands now in Corten effect finish. Using these materials will enable the proposal to blend in with the sylvan setting.'

Mr Glanfield, a father of two, has previously described the run-down bungalow as a 'death trap' and full of mould.

He expressed his wish to invest in the local economy when building his house.

With a floor space of 2,909 sqft, the price works out at £4,640 per sqft - the most expensive anywhere in the world. Pictured: The kitchen in the property
With a floor space of 2,909 sqft, the price works out at £4,640 per sqft - the most expensive anywhere in the world. Pictured: The kitchen in the property
The father-of-two, who earned his fortune after using a £9,000 student loan to start a recruitment business in his friend's attic, said he will ensure the home retains its beauty
The father-of-two, who earned his fortune after using a £9,000 student loan to start a recruitment business in his friend's attic, said he will ensure the home retains its beauty
The cork ceiling tiles above the kitchen, which is also said to have no insulation to protect from cooler conditions in the winter months
The cork ceiling tiles above the kitchen, which is also said to have no insulation to protect from cooler conditions in the winter months
The property comes with a Formica kitchen (pictured) and cork ceiling tiles, but has undergone little change since the 1950s and is in need of modernisation
The property comes with a Formica kitchen (pictured) and cork ceiling tiles, but has undergone little change since the 1950s and is in need of modernisation

He said: 'I am a bit of a conservationist but the current house is uneconomical and environmentally unfriendly.

'We have got the chance to build something quite amazing there.

'It is going to be a fully sustainable, environmentally friendly, carbon neutral home that will also be an iconic building to mark the entrance to the harbour that will be seen by boats and yachts coming and going.

'The area has got a lot of superhomes but I am not that kind of guy. I am pleased that I bought it and not another property developer who is going to build another modern, three-storey super home that will cost £10,000 a month to run.'

The four-bedroom bungalow, called North Haven Point, was bought for £1,000 by Victorian botanist Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker in the 1900s.

The house has barely changed in shape or layout.

The 1.4-acre corner plot is by far the biggest piece of real estate on the Millionaires' Row.

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