Wealthy tycoon spends £13.5m on mouldy bungalow - which officials then stop him rebuilding

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} When tycoon recruitment boss Tom Glanfield paid £13.5 million for a run-down cottage on the exclusive Sandbanks neighbourhood in Dorset, the 44-year-old joked “people may thinking I’m mad for paying so much money”. Tom Glanfield and estate agent Robert Dunford and the Dorset cottage he bought for £13.5 million in the background But roll forward almost a year, and Mr Glanfield ambitious plans on the so-called Millionaires’ Row appear to be in tatters after the local council claimed the Edwardian cottage was a “heritage asset”. Tom Glanfield bought the bungalow for £13.5 million with plans to replace it with a new modern home In its refusal decision, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council said demolition of the cottage would cause “significant harm” to the surrounding conversation area, adding the planned home was of “an unsympathetic design”. why the proposed loss of a sympathetic period property to a dwelling of a broadly neo-modern/post-modern, out-of-keeping design is sought to be sold as a benefit.” In its decision notice, the council wrote: “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.