17 January 2024 , 10:12
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A man who splashed £13.5million on ‘the world’s most expensive bungalow’ and immediately regretted it because it was riddled with problems has been denied plans to demolish and rebuild it.
Self-made businessman Tom Glanfield, 46, bought his outdated Edwardian cottage North Haven Point on a road branded ‘Millionaire's Row’ in the exclusive Sandbanks resort in Dorset in March last year.
The impressive property boasts a swimming pool and incredible coastal views, and with a price of £4,640 per square foot - it has a more expensive floor space than any other city in the world, including New York and Hong Kong.
But owner Tom quickly realised it was a ‘death trap’ and that its ugly and outdated interior would need a further £1million investment for sea defences alone. Within a month he applied for planning permission to demolish and replace it with a larger modern seafront family home.
Now, his plans to rebuild the property have been rejected as local council officials say it lies in a conservation area and has been nominated for inclusion on the local heritage list - meaning it has the status of a non-designated heritage asset (NDHA).
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The refusal decision was published last week by Bournemouth and Poole Council who said Mr Glanfield's plans would not respect the character and appearance of the conservation area
Conservation officer Kalina Kuteva wrote: "The proposed replacement dwelling would be of a rather generic contemporary design, with its large expanses of glazing, concrete elements, vertical timber-effect as well as stone cladding and flat roof, resulting in a 'boxy' appearance.'
She added: "By virtue of its design and palette of materials, the proposed dwelling would jar against the remaining Edwardian villas along Panorama Road and would not respect the character and appearance of the conservation area."
Mr Glanfield had big plans for the property, proposing a 'house among the trees' with five bedrooms, a raised jacuzzi bath with sea views, a cinema room, a gym and a shower room.
Mr Glanfield had big plans for the property (SWNS)Speaking to MailOnline last year, Mr Glanfield told of the various problems he'd run into after purchasing the mansion. He said: "Despite the property appearing in reasonable shape from a distance, it was clear on inspection that years of exposure had taken its toll. Although it clearly hasn't been updated for some time, unfortunately, the problems run much deeper.
"The current house has nothing in the way of insulation and relies on obscene amounts of oil to heat it. I'm keen to create something that is completely efficient and passive. My dream is to build a family home that will not only retain the modest beauty of the plot but will stand the test of time.
"Some people have said it would be a shame to replace the property, but they probably haven't inspected it too closely. Some people have told me they are glad it has been purchased by a local person and not a developer. I think most developers would put at least two houses on this plot."
The father of two, who earned his fortune after using a £9,000 student loan to kickstart his recruitment business was supported by several of his neighbours.
One said: "Very large site, the current house is small and prehistoric in design terms. I think a large contemporary house using modern materials would be much better utilisation of the huge amount of space available at this location."
Another added: "The only way this property will be seen is from the sea and what a fantastic thing to view whilst passing by in a boat or watercraft. Something that Sandbanks/Poole/Dorset and the UK for that matter should be extremely proud of."
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