A prominent Sandbanks businessman is at the centre of a fierce local dispute after unveiling plans to construct a £700,000 property on one of the few remaining open plots in the exclusive Dorset peninsula, an area dubbed a 'millionaires' playground'.
Resident Outcry Over 'Shoe-horned' Development
Spencer Whitworth, a chartered surveyor and director of the Sandbanks Yacht Company, has formally submitted a planning application to build a two-bedroom bungalow. The proposed site is a tiny triangular piece of scrubland, one of the last undeveloped spaces in an area where the average house price comfortably exceeds £1.2 million.
If approved, the new build would sit immediately behind the boundaries of two existing luxury detached homes. Alarmed residents have condemned the project, warning that developing 'every available square inch' is transforming the upscale neighbourhood into a version of the bustling Spanish resort Benidorm or even a 'mini Manhattan'.
Neighbours Voice Fears and Frustrations
Professor Norman Noah, an eminent epidemiologist whose property would be the closest to the new bungalow, voiced his strong objections. 'The proposed building will back almost onto our back garden,' he stated, 'with the proposed access route for cars directly behind our garden fence.'
He argued that it seems 'utterly incongruous' to build on what is possibly the last green site land in Sandbanks. 'Sandbanks is already completely overburdened with building,' Professor Noah continued. 'It will seem like a miniature Manhattan, albeit with not quite so tall buildings - but at least Manhattan has a Central Park, which contributes a bit of greenery and trees.'
Other concerns raised by residents include:
- Parking Problems: The access route for the bungalow would run through the car park of a neighbouring block of flats, where Mr. Whitworth himself lives in the penthouse. This would involve demolishing a garage to create a narrow access road.
- Loss of Habitat: Neighbour Gary Firmager highlighted the potential loss of habitat for local wildlife, including slow worms, birds, and butterflies that currently inhabit the scrubland.
- Overdevelopment: Lisa Elston, a resident in the flats, claimed the proposal represents the 'pinnacle of overdevelopment', following previous penthouse additions by Mr. Whitworth.
The Case For Development
In a statement submitted with the application, planning agent Darryl Howells presented the justification for the project. He described the site as a 'vacant parcel of land' with an existing garage and 'undeveloped shrub' that holds no intrinsic value to the area's character.
The development will make more efficient use of this site, delivering a new contemporary bungalow, the statement argued. It also claimed the project would contribute to Poole's identified shortfall in housing supply by providing an additional dwelling. Regarding design, Mr. Howells stated that the 'unashamedly innovative and unique' proposal would not have any materially harmful impacts on the local area sufficient to warrant a planning refusal.
The application further notes that a 6ft fence would be erected around the property to prevent overlooking. Mr. Whitworth has been approached for comment on the residents' criticisms.
