CAPTAIN Tom’s family have three months to demolish the controversial luxury spa complex they built in his name after losing a court appeal.
Hannah Ingram-Moore and her husband fought to overturn the council’s decision to demolish the “unauthorised” building.
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Hannah Ingram-Moore appealed the decision
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Captain Tom captured the hearts of the nation during the pandemic
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The council received their offer to demolish the spa
But the Planning Inspectorate today ruled the complex will have to be demolished in three months because it was illegally built on their £1.2m mansion.
Inspector Diane Fleming said the “scale and mass” of the building “resulted in damage” to the Old Rectory – a Grade II listed family home. degree at Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire.
In addition to demolishing the thermal baths, the family will have to remove all building materials and restore the land to its “previous state”.
The family now has six weeks to appeal the decision.
Hannah and her husband initially got permission from Bedfordshire Central Council to build a small charity office for the Captain Tom Foundation.
Plans for an L-shaped building in a seven-bed villa in Marston Moretaine have been given the go-ahead in 2021.
Hannah and husband Colin applied in their own name for the planning – but used the foundation’s name in the design and access and heritage statement.
The statement claims the building will be used partly “in connection with the Captain Tom Foundation and its charitable purposes”.
A subsequent retrospective application in 2022 – which is sought after something has already been built – to extend the originally approved C-shaped building, which contains a spa pool, was refused by the planning authority.
The structure is named Captain Tom’s Building and described as a “new building for the use of the occupiers”, namely Hannah and Colin.
Hannah and Colin then built a pool house with changing rooms, toilets and showers to accommodate their £1.2 million home.
The court heard this later “evolved” to include a spa pool.
Chartered surveyor James Paynter, speaking on behalf of the family, suggested it could be used for “rehabilitation sessions for older people in the area”.
But Richard Proctor, head of the planning enforcement team, said: “The council’s view is that the building is completely different to the application.”
The court was also told that the Captain Tom Foundation will be closed when the Charity Commission investigation is completed.
Today’s decision comes after Hannah admitted she made a mistake in an interview with TalkTV’s Piers Morgan.
She said: “We have to accept that we made a decision, and it was probably the wrong one.”
The family also admitted to pocketing money from a veteran NHS fundraiser worth £39m in a bombshell interview.
A tearful Hannah revealed they kept £800,000 from three books her father wrote – claiming he wanted them to keep the profits.
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Photos show the interior of the complexCredit: TALKTV
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Sir Captain Tom has raised millions for charity
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