Latest news with #MillionairesRow
The Sun
26-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Sun
Huge fire rips through nine-bed mansion on millionaire's row reducing home to ashes in Bank Holiday horror
A MANSION on London's luxurious Millionaires' Row has burned to the ground in a horror blaze. Firefighters battled the flames engulfing Hollybush House in Barnet, north London, after the alarm was raised in the early hours of this morning. 2 Fire tore through the nine-bedroom 18th Century Grade II-listed mansion at around 1am. The London Fire Brigade sent 10 fire engines and more than 70 firefighters to tackle the raging inferno. It took several hours before the fire was brought under control. The cause of the fire is still unknown and it has not been confirmed whether anyone was injured. London Fire Brigade said: "Ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters are tackling a fire at a house on Hadley Green Road in Barnet. "The whole of the roof, as well as most of the first floor and half of the ground floor of the property are alight. "The Brigade's Control Officers took the first of seven calls to the fire at 0110 and mobilised crews from Southgate, Barnet, Finchley and surrounding fire stations to the scene. "The cause of the fire is not known at this time." Hollybush House was built in the late 1700s and sprawls across 9,300 sq ft, including an attached cottage, on just over two acres of land. The main building consists of a drawing room, library, kitchen, dining room, sitting room, art room, and six bedrooms. Hadley Green Road has been dubbed as Millionaires' Row because properties are known to go for seven figure price tags. 2 is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video. Like us on Facebook at and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSun.
Daily Mail
22-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Entrepreneur who splashed £13.5 million on 'the world's most expensive bungalow' still in limbo on eco-home rebuild plan
An entrepreneur who spent £13.5 million on 'the world's most expensive bungalow' is still stuck in limbo amid a two-year fight to turn it into an eco-home after councillors deferred a decision today. Tom Glanfield, 46, bought a rundown property on Dorset's exclusive Sandbanks resort - dubbed 'Millionaire's Row' - back in March 2023. He wanted to knock down the Edwardian cottage and replace it with a modern family home - but has instead been embroiled in a two-year fight with planners who recommended his application be refused. They argued that Mr Glanfield's proposal would 'result in the total loss of the non-designated heritage asset' - and therefore cause 'significant harm' to the Sandbanks Conservation Area. Meanwhile, the self-made millionaire, who lives in Poole, Dorset, said the current property was 'falling apart' - and insisted he had designed a new eco-friendly family home that 'will be exemplar to the whole area in terms of sustainability and design'. During a planning committee meeting today, Mr Glanfield asserted that he was 'not a property developer' - and was not 'flipping [the bungalow] for profit'. But Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council (BCPC) rejected a move to grant the application, with another hearing to be held. Four councillors in favour of his application moved to grant it despite opposition from planning officers - but four voted against this move. The four-bedroom home had been in the same family for 117 years after Victorian botanist Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker bought a piece of land This meant the decision fell on the committee chair - who sided with the opposition. Councillors then moved to defer the application for re-consideration - at a date when a legal representative could be present to outline the legality of overturning the planning officer's recommendations. A date for this hearing is yet to be decided. Mr Glanfield previously said he wanted to transform the rundown bungalow - which he says has a leaking roof, mould, and mildew - into a sustainable two-storey family eco home. The new-build, he said, would be complete with renewable power - and a desalination facility. He also had plans to enhance the sea wall - which is currently 'unsafe', 'unsightly', and crumbling. The entrepreneur previously said: 'My dream is to build a family home that will not only retain the modest beauty of the plot but will also stand the test of time.' Mr Glanfield received significant backing for his proposal from the local community - with 38 letters of support submitted to the council. Among those was one from neighbour Ros Smart, who labelled the plans as an 'outstandingly innovative design for an iconic site'. She continued: 'The modern sleek appearance is entirely in keeping with houses in the surrounding area and is totally suitable for the conservation area.' Others agreed that the design was 'sympathetic' to the location - describing the 'modern sleek appearance' as 'entirely in keeping with houses in the surrounding area'. This is something Mr Glanfield tried to convey to BCPC during the meeting. He told the planning committee: 'The current house is falling apart with a registered F energy rating. It still uses oil heating and the harbour wall is literally collapsing into the sea. 'Despite modest improvements, it remains damp, cold, and no matter what I do to the existing bungalow, it won't offer the opportunities like a new construction would do to future sustainability or flood resistance for the next 100 years. 'So, I set out to create something better. An eco-friendly near off-grid woodland home using local and natural materials that will allow the landscape, and not the house, to take centre stage. 'And that will be exemplar to the whole area in terms of sustainability and design. 'We've received over 30 letters of support and no objections - something I'm really touched by, having only lived in the area for three years. 'As part of the project, we will also be rebuilding the harbour wall using a pioneering system that encourages marine life to thrive transforming a rusting barrier into a biodiversity feature. 'We believe this is a project the community can be proud of, something not only beautiful, sustainable and fitting for such a special place but also exemplar for the area in terms of sustainability, biodiversity, and design.' BCPC's decision on the plans, which were dreamt up alongside local architect firms Marlow and Arc and award-winning landscape designer Andy Sturgeon, was ultimately made on 'conservation grounds'. Prior to their conclusion, local planning officer Babatunde Aregbesola told the meeting that the existing building was considered very important to the Sandbanks Conservation Area (CA) given its age, which he described as 'very early Edwardian, one of the oldest in the area'. He said: 'The proposal by reason of the demolition of the existing cottage would result in the total loss of the non-designated heritage asset causing significant harm and failing to preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Sandbanks Conservation Area.' He also pointed out that no alternative plan in which the building would be retained had been presented, which, he argued, meant the requirements to 'avoid, minimise, or justify the harm have not been met'. During discussion, one councillor asked the meeting: 'We have an old crumbling building here. What are we trying to preserve exactly - if not preserving for preservation's sake?' He was told: 'This building is one of the very first buildings on the peninsula. It therefore has a strong historic value.' Other councillors said they liked the fact that the new shoreline would support diverse marine life - and supported the improved energy rating that the new-build would have. One stated: 'That is saving the planet - and that benefits everyone.' But other councillors were uncomfortable with overturning the planning officers recommendations - and pushed for another meeting in which legal advice could be sought.
Daily Mail
21-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Sandbanks multi-millionaire who spent £13.5million on 'world's most expensive bungalow' is dealt new blow in bid to replace it with state-of-the-art eco-home
A Sandbanks multi-millionaire who spent £13million on the 'world's most expensive bungalow has been dealt a new blow after it was recommended that his right to build the home is refused. Tom Glanfield, 46, bought a rundown bungalow in the exclusive area in Dorset dubbed 'Millionaire's Row', in March 2023. But since then he has been involved in a two year fight to demolish the cottage and replace with an eco-home. But despite locals writing in 28 letters of support for the plans, councillors are now being recommended to turn it down on 'conservation grounds'. Planning officer Babatunde Aregbesola is to tell members at Bournemouth and Poole Council on Thursday: 'The proposal by reason of the demolition of the existing cottage would result in the total loss of the non-designated heritage asset causing significant harm to the Sandbanks Conservation Area. 'Consequently, losing a positive building within the Sandbanks CA to a single dwelling of an unsympathetic design is not considered a heritage or public benefit which could outweigh the harm to the significance of the Conservation Area.' The matter was referred to the committee due to the high amount of public support. Mr Glanfield, who was also turned down on an earlier proposal, is seeking to build a replacement building - described as a two-storey detached dwelling with a basement of a 'contemporary design and a green roof.' Permission is also being sought to enhance the sea wall. Despite the public support, objections were raised by a conservation officer, who wrote it would result in the 'complete loss of the period building' that would 'harm' the Sandbanks conservation area. They added this was 'deemed unjustified considering alternative options involving the retention of the cottage could have been explored.' 'Losing a positive building within the Sandbanks CA to a single dwelling of an inappropriate design is not considered a heritage or public benefit which could outweigh the harm to the significance of the CA,' the conservation officer added. Letters of support described the design as 'sympathetic' to the location and the environment and would bring a 'clear enhancement.' Others said the 'modern sleek appearance' was 'entirely in keeping with houses in the surrounding area and is totally suitable for the conservation area. The rebuilding of the seawall was also praised for providing a 'much more attractive sea defence than the current unsightly crumbling wall. Among those backing him was neighbour Ros Smart, who labelled the plans as 'outstandingly innovative design for an iconic site'. She said: 'The modern sleek appearance is entirely in keeping with houses in the surrounding area and is totally suitable for the conservation area.' Recruitment boss Tom, who lives in Poole, Dorset, is a self-made millionaire and previously said he remains determined to change the minds of council planners. He added: 'We have invested a considerable amount of time to create a bespoke design that combines a modern family home with the need to be sympathetic to the beautiful surroundings of the conservation area. 'This is a personal vision of mine and with the aid of two local architects teamed together we have attempted to create a high quality timeless design for the future. 'The plot needs a huge investment and BCP Council seem to have missed the proposal was a great opportunity for a substantial ecological and visual improvement to not only the house but also the site's sea wall perimeter. 'The currently rusting metal and concrete perimeter sea wall is both unsafe and unsightly from Poole Harbour. 'Our application included a design by award winning landscape designer Andy Sturgeon that sought to remove the existing sea wall and concrete perimeter to Poole Harbour, and replace it with a discreet sea wall masked by native planting, sand dunes and rocks. 'The aim is to re-naturalise the site's perimeter when viewed from the sea, and offer an enhanced biodiversity benefit, through native planting and removal of the large areas currently paved in concrete. 'My family and I consider Poole to be our home and my consultants, and I will continue to pursue the sensitive and eco-friendly redevelopment of this very special site.' Tom previously said he wanted to transform the run-down bungalow - which he says has a leaking roof, mould and mildew and a cracked concrete driveway. He wants to replace the property with a sustainable family eco home, complete with renewable power and a desalination facility. He added: 'My dream is to build a family home that will not only retain the modest beauty of the plot but will stand the test of time.' A meeting of the council to decide the application is being held from 10am tomorrow. (Thurs)
