Captain Tom daughter told to demolish £200,000 spa
CAPTAIN Tom Moore’s family have been ordered to bulldoze their £200,000 spa within three months, after officials agreed it was built illegally.
Daughter Hannah Ingram-Moore, 53, and her husband Colin, 66, yesterday lost an appeal against a council ruling to demolish it.
And neighbour Jill Bozdogan, 70, whose home is overlooked by the spa, said: “The sooner they tear it down the better.
“It doesn’t blend in with the two original buildings. It was something you can see from all my back windows.”
Another, Jean Harrison, 80, added: “It looks dreadful. It is good that it has to come down.”
The Ingram-Moores got the green light in 2021 to build a small office for the Captain Tom Foundation at the £1.2million Old Rectory home in Marston Moretaine, Beds. The couple claimed the L-shaped block was to be used partly “in connection with the Foundation and its charitable objectives”. But neighbours were furious when a larger, luxury spa with a pool and sauna appeared. A 2022 retrospective application – which is sought after something has already been built – was refused by Central Bedfordshire council. The family appealed. Planning inspector Diane Fleming said yesterday the council initially ruled the benefits of the building for charity work “outweighed” fears about its size.
But she added: “The scale and massing of the building has resulted in harm to The Old Rectory which I find suggested conditions would not overcome.”
Lockdown hero Captain Sir Tom raised £38million for NHS charities by walking 100 laps before his 100th birthday. He died in February 2021.