Planning chiefs in England have ordered that an unauthorised building in the home of the late charity fundraiser Captain Tom Moore be demolished, after plans for a block containing a spa pool were rejected.
Hannah Ingram-Moore and her husband Colin applied in 2021 for permission to build a Captain Tom Foundation Building in the grounds of their home in Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire.
The L-shaped building was given the green light, and in a design and access and heritage statement it was described as to be used partly “in connection with The Captain Tom Foundation and its charitable objectives”.
A subsequent retrospective application in 2022, for a larger C-shaped building containing a spa pool, was refused by the planning authority.
In supporting documents, it was described as “a new building for use by the occupiers” of the home of Mr and Mrs Ingram-Moore.
In a design and access and heritage statement, it was referred to as The Captain Tom Building.
The foundation was set up in memory of charity fundraiser Captain Tom who raised millions during the coronavirus pandemic.
The second World War veteran raised £38.9 million (€44.3 million) for Britain's National Health Service and made global headlines by walking 100 laps of his garden before his 100th birthday at the height of the country's first national Covid-19 lockdown in April 2020.
He died in February 2021.
A spokesperson for Central Bedfordshire Council, the planning authority for the area, said on Tuesday that it received a planning application in August 2021 for the erection of a detached single storey building by the occupiers of the home of the Ingram-Moores and the Captain Tom Foundation.
It said this was approved.
In 2022, planners subsequently received a retrospective planning application for a “part retrospective erection of detached single-storey building (revised proposals)”, which was refused, the spokesperson said.
The council spokesperson said: “An enforcement notice requiring the demolition of the now-unauthorised building was issued and this is now subject to an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate.”
Efforts have been made to approach Hannah Ingram-Moore for comment.
The Captain Tom Foundation said, in a statement to a national newspaper: “At no time were The Captain Tom Foundation’s independent trustees aware of planning permissions made by Mr and Mrs Ingram-Moore purporting to be in the foundation’s name.
“Had they been aware of any applications, the independent trustees would not have authorised them.”
