Captain Tom's daughter appeals council order to demolish 'unauthorised' spa pool building at Marston Moretaine home

The daughter of Captain Sir Tom Moore has lodged an appeal over a demolition order for an unauthorised building containing a spa pool at the family’s Bedfordshire property.

Planning permission was granted originally by Central Bedfordshire Council in November 2021, but a retrospective application was refused a year later.

A newspaper report alleged the family exploited the former Army veteran’s name to build the pool in a detached single storey building at The Old Rectory, The Green, Marston Moretaine.

Hannah Ingram-Moore and her husband, Colin, used the Captain Tom Foundation name on the initial full plans for the development. The revised application was submitted after an enforcement visit by CBC officers.

“We can confirm that a planning application for ‘a detached single storey building for use by the occupiers of the Old Rectory and Captain Tom Foundation’ was received in August 2021,” explained CBC in a statement:

“Documents relating to these full plans are available online. This application was approved.

“We received a retrospective planning application for a ‘part retrospective construction of a detached single storey building (revised proposals)’ in February 2022.

“The documents relating to these plans are also accessible online. This was refused (under delegated powers).

“An enforcement notice requiring the demolition of the now unauthorised building was issued and this is subject to an appeal to the planning inspectorate now.”

A report by CBC senior planning officer Annabel Robinson said: “The intended use was as storage and office space for the occupiers’ charitable work to support the Captain Tom Moore Foundation and for occasional meetings related to the charity.

“Colin Ingram-Moore is one of the three charity trustees and Captain Sir Tom Moore’s daughter Hannah Ingram-Moore is the interim CEO.

“The building was intended to facilitate Foundation activities, but primarily for Captain Tom memorabilia.

“Stored items include 225,000 birthday cards, Captain Tom’s clothing, medals, his fitness bike and considerable honours bestowed on him.”

Planning permission was refused on the revised project because it “would result in unacceptable harm by virtue of size, design and siting near a listed building, and would lead to an overdevelopment of the site”, added the report.

“It would result in an unacceptable overbearing impact on adjoining residential occupiers”. The applicant was “invited to provide amendments to the application, but didn’t agree to this”.

A letter from head of planning and design at town planning consultants JR and JEG Shephard John Shephard said: “The proposed use of the building is confirmed as for purposes incidental to the current property.

“This includes private domestic use, interviews, and charity functions, while a pit has been incorporated in the extra wing to accommodate the prefabricated spa pool.

“The pool is stored within the building, which otherwise remains under construction.”

The Captain Tom Foundation was formed after the initial fundraising for the NHS Charities, which raised £38.9m.

The charity is no longer taking donations or making payments because of an ongoing inquiry into its finances.

Hannah Ingram-Moore has been asked for comment.