Captain Tom Moore’s daughter loses home spa appeal and will have to tear it down

Sir Captain Tom Moore’s daughter has lost an appeal to prevent the demolition of an unauthorised spa at her home.

Hannah Ingram-Moore and her husband appealed against the order, By Bedfordshire Council, to demolish the luxury pool in their garden.

Built using the name of the Captain Tom Foundation, Ms Ingram-Moore submitted retrospective planning permission after the C-shaped block was built in 2021 – housing a pool, spa and changing facilities.

When plans were rejected earlier this year, the family were served with a demolition order.

The Captain Tom Foundation was founded in June 2020, which saw the armed forces veteran do laps of his garden to raise funds for the NHS during the covid pandemic. He completed 100 laps before his 100th birthday and raised £38 million.

The charity is currently under investigation.

The family appeared before the council chambers last month where they appealed against the demolition order.

It heard how the Foundation was to fold after controversy surrounding money Ms Ingram-Moore kept from the sale of the late veteran’s books.

At the hearing, it was also heard how plans would never have been approved for the building in its current state with some neighbours describing it as a ‘monstrosity’ and an ‘eyesore’. The family’s lawyer called these claims an exaggeration.

It has been reported that approximately half a dozen neighbours attended the hearing with one saying the structure is ‘49% bigger than what was consented’ and much closer their property’s fence than originally agreed.

A document sporting original plans for an L-shaped building said the spa was to be partly used ‘in connection with the Captain Tom Foundation and its charitable objectives’.

The family argued that the spa could be used to help ‘tackle loneliness’ amongst elderly people – which was part of the charity’s objective.

But officials dismissed the appeal and the family have been given three months to tear the spa down.