BCP Council (Poole area): Pure Town Planning are delighted to share that last week BCP Council granted planning permission for the demolition of existing buildings and erection of a replacement house with ancillary outbuildings, swimming pool and associated landscaping works at 98 Panorama Road, one of the most exclusive waterfront plots on Sandbanks.
The site sits on the harbour side of Panorama Road, with uninterrupted views across Poole Harbour to Brownsea Island. It now has consent for a beautifully detailed family home expertly designed by ARC Architecture.
The existing house was built in 1911 and is one of the last “original” houses on Sandbanks. The Conservation Area Appraisal identifies it as making a positive contribution to the area. Over the years, though, it had been heavily altered, split into flats and given several unsympathetic additions. Our clients, the new owners wanted to replace it with a single, high-quality family home that respects the Arts and Crafts heritage of Panorama Road.
The Council’s Conservation Officer objected strongly and recommended refusal. She argued that losing the house would cause “substantial harm, at the higher level” to the Sandbanks Conservation Area. She also cited a presumption in favour of retaining positive buildings and hinted that the property’s condition might be the result of deliberate neglect.
The applicants commissioned heritage specialists tor&co to respond, and their Heritage Rebuttal did not pull its punches:
- Substantial harm. tor&co pointed out that substantial harm is “a high test” that applies only where an asset’s significance is “vitiated altogether or very much reduced”. To claim that for the whole conservation area over one altered house was “not rational or defensible”. They called the assessment “quite simply egregious” and said it “would certainly be challengeable” if relied on to refuse the application.
- Deliberate neglect. tor&co noted that no evidence had been offered and called the suggestion, against owners who had bought the property only months earlier, “frankly, preposterous”.
- The presumption to retain. This dated from 2009 policy and was “materially inconsistent” with the new National Planning Policy Framework published in August 2026. It should therefore be given “very limited weight”.
- The building itself. tor&co described No. 98 as “at best a middling example” of Arts and Crafts architecture. It was first subdivided into flats almost 80 years ago, and it contributes mainly as an early example of development on the peninsula. The area’s real defining features are its winding road, stone walls, dune landform, mature trees and harbour views, and none of these would be affected.
The rebuttal concluded that the objection deserved “very little weight” and that relying on it would leave the Council “open to challenge”.
Alongside the rebuttal, Matt at Pure Town Planning negotiated firmly with the case officer and team leaders. It worked. They agreed the application should be approved despite the Conservation Officer’s objection. The officer’s report concludes that losing No. 98 “would not harm the overall setting and significance of the Conservation Area” and that its key features, including its topography, landscape setting and trees, will be retained.
This application process was truly a team effort and this result shows what a coordinated team can achieve. Every member played their part in a robust, comprehensive submission:
- Our clients, for their clear vision and trust in the team
- Pure Town Planning, for planning strategy, coordination and negotiation with the Council
- ARC Architecture, for an elegant design rooted in Sandbanks’ Arts and Crafts character
- Tor&Co, for the Heritage Statement and the Heritage Rebuttal
- G Tree, for Arboricultural input protecting the site’s landscape setting
- GAP, for their specialist technical structural and Drainage input
- Cherry Tree Ecology, for ecological survey work and biodiversity recommendations
The scheme also had strong community backing, with more than 30 letters of support.
Because every issue was anticipated and backed by evidence, the application was approved at the first time of asking. That is a notable achievement on Sandbanks, where many replacement dwelling schemes need revisions, resubmissions or appeals before they win consent.
Are you thinking of developing in Sandbanks? Sandbanks is one of the most desirable and tightly controlled places to build in the country. Conservation area status, flood risk, protected trees and intense local scrutiny all call for a careful, evidence-led approach from the outset. Pure Town Planning specialises in guiding residential schemes through the BCP Council planning process, including complex heritage and replacement dwelling proposals. If you’re considering a project on Sandbanks or elsewhere in Bournemouth, Christchurch or Poole, we’d love to hear from you.