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Meat mogul's £15m home sparks neighbour row

Meat mogul's £15m home sparks neighbour row

Telegraph17-06-2025
A meat mogul millionaire is locked in a dispute with his neighbours over his plans for a luxury home on Sandbanks.
Philip Heffer paid £3.6 million for a tired-looking bungalow on the exclusive resort in Poole, Dorset.
He was granted permission to demolish the 1950s property and replace it with a multi-million-pound home that will have five balconies.
By the time it is finished, the four-storey beachfront mansion will be worth £15 million.
But the scheme has upset some of Mr Heffer's neighbours, including his piano teacher, Vivien Shiplee.
The 68-year-old is angry that Mr Heffer's new property, in particular the balconies, will overlook her holiday home next door.
She claims Mr Heffer will be able to look straight down into her front and back gardens.
She is also concerned that the flat-roofed property will overshadow hers and cause a loss of light.
'Major flood risk'
The Sandbanks Neighbourhood Forum has also raised concerns about the new home.
In a statement, the Forum said that full height obscured screens should be placed on either side of Mr Heffer's home to protect the privacy of the neighbours.
It said the height of the property 'will significantly increase the overlooking of the adjacent houses' rear gardens'.
The property is on the 'panhandle' of Sandbanks and will look out on Poole Harbour on one side and the sea on the other.
The narrow strip of land has also been identified as a major flood risk in the years to come, with experts predicting rising sea levels.
Up until now, planning officials at Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole Council have backed Mr Heffer's plans.
No different from other properties
Despite complaints about privacy and overdevelopment, they say such concerns come with the territory of living on Sandbanks.
Planning officer Claire Moir said the size and design of the new mansion are no different to others that have been built in recent years.
She said the 'inevitable overlooking' from balconies was now commonplace due to the 'pattern of development' and was something Sandbanks residents had to accept.
Although Mr Heffer was granted planning permission and building work is now underway, he has gone back to the council seeking to amend the scheme and make the whole building slightly taller.
Philip Heffer is the co-founder of Hilton Foods, a supplier of pre-packed high-quality meat.
He stepped back from his role as chief executive last year after revenues rose to £3.85 billion.
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