06 February 2024 , 13:18
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The demolition of Captain Tom’s daughter’s spa is continuing at pace today, as the deadline to have it completely torn down looms large.
Planning permission had been granted for an L-shaped building in the grounds of the family home in Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire – but the planning authority refused a subsequent retrospective application in 2022 for a larger C-shaped building containing a spa pool. As a result, , the daughter of the national icon, was told the building, named after the war veteran, was deemed illegal and had to come down.
Builders have been hard at work for the last week removing the large building for several days after Ingram-Moore was told it must be gone by February 7 - tomorrow- with Central Bedfordshire Council expected to review it onsite the next day.
Latest pictures of the site show the demolition is nearing the end as rubble was piled into a nearby dumper truck at the home this morning. Workmen were seen clearing away the bricks, tiles and debris after the building was bulldozed yesterday and reduced to a pile of rubble.
A wall remains, as well as plenty of rubble, at the site (Bav Media)The workers had spent several days removing the roof tiles one at a time as well as taking gym equipment and other items out of the building. A gaping hole was left in the ground of the spa complex over the weekend after a crane removed the spa swimming pool.
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A digger continues dragging down the walls of the spa (Bav Media)It comes after the council issued an enforcement notice in July 2023 requiring the demolition of the “unauthorised building” and the Planning Inspectorate dismissed an appeal against this. During a hearing in October, chartered surveyor James Paynter, for the appellants, said the spa pool had “the opportunity to offer rehabilitation sessions for elderly people in the area”.
The view from over the heads of the busy workers (Bav Media)The council issued an enforcement notice in July 2023 requiring the demolition of the “unauthorised building” and the Planning Inspectorate dismissed an appeal against this. During a hearing in October, chartered surveyor James Paynter, for the appellants, said the spa pool had “the opportunity to offer rehabilitation sessions for elderly people in the area”.
Scott Stemp, representing Ms Ingram-Moore and her husband, said at the appeal hearing that the foundation “is to be closed down following an investigation by the Charity Commission”.
How the building looked before work started to raze it to the ground (Bav Media)Sir Tom raised £38.9 million for the NHS, including gift aid, by walking 100 laps of his garden before his 100th birthday, at the height of the first national Covid-19 lockdown in April 2020. He was knighted by the late Queen during a unique open-air ceremony at Windsor Castle in the summer of that year.