Captain Sir Tom Moore's daughter ordered to demolish home spa

The Captain Tom Foundation has stopped taking money from donors after the retrospective planning permission was refused

Captain Sir Tom Moore, whose daughter has been ordered to demolish a building in a planning row. Reuters

The daughter of army officer and lockdown fund-raiser Captain Sir Tom Moore has been ordered to demolish a building used as a spa after a planning application was rejected.

The Captain Tom Foundation, set up in the Second World War veteran's honour after he raised £38.9 million for the NHS, has stopped taking money from donors after retrospective planning permission was refused.

The foundation said it was also closing all payment channels while the Charity Commission carried out an inquiry.

Captain Sir Tom's daughter, Hannah Ingram-Moore, and her husband Colin first applied for permission to build a Captain Tom Foundation building in the grounds of their home in Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire, in 2021.

The L-shaped building was to be used partly “in connection with the Captain Tom Foundation and its charitable objectives”, and was given the green light.

The home of Hannah Ingram-Moore in Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire, with the C-shaped spa block. PA

But a retrospective application in 2022, for a larger C-shaped building containing a spa pool, was refused by the planning authority.

In supporting documents, it was described as “a new building for use by the occupiers” of the home of Mr and Ms Ingram-Moore.

In a design and access and heritage statement, it was referred to as The Captain Tom Building.

Captain Sir Tom raised £38.9 million, including gift aid, for the NHS by walking 100 laps of his garden before his 100th birthday at the height of the first national Covid-19 lockdown in April 2020.

He died in February 2021.

On Tuesday, a spokesperson for Central Bedfordshire Council, the local planning authority, said it had received a planning application in August 2021 for the erection of a detached single-storey building by the occupiers of the home of the Ingram-Moores and the Captain Tom Foundation.

It said this was approved.

Hannah Ingram-Moore, Captain Sir Tom Moore's daughter. has been ordered to demolish the spa building. PA

In 2022, planners received a retrospective planning application for a “part-retrospective erection of detached single-storey building (revised proposals)", which was refused, the spokesperson said.

The council spokesperson said: “An enforcement notice requiring the demolition of the now-unauthorised building was issued and this is now subject to an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate.”

The foundation said: “At this moment in time, the sole focus of the Captain Tom Foundation is to ensure that it co-operates fully with the continuing statutory inquiry by the Charity Commission.

“As a result, the Captain Tom Foundation is not presently actively seeking any funding from donors. Accordingly, we have also taken the decision to close all payment channels while the statutory inquiry remains open.

“Once the findings of the statutory inquiry have been communicated, the Captain Tom Foundation will be in a better position to make a decision in relation to its future, but for now, our main priority is to assist the Charity Commission with its inquiry.”

Captain Sir Tom Moore – in pictures

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  Captain Sir Tom Moore died aged 100. Reuters

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  Queen Elizabeth II awards Captain Tom with the insignia of Knight Bachelor at Windsor Castle. Getty Images

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  Captain Tom completes the 100th length of his back garden in Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire on 16 April 2020. EPA

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  Captain Tom and his daughter Hannah celebrate his 100th birthday, with an RAF flypast provided by a Spitfire and a Hurricane over his home. Getty Images

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  Captain Tom poses with his family after being awarded with the insignia of Knight Bachelor by Queen Elizabeth. Getty Images

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  Captain Tom poses with his knighthood. AP Photo

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  Captain Tom with grandson Benji, daughter Hannah Ingram-Moore and granddaughter Georgia, at his home in Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire, after he achieved his goal of 100 laps of his garden. Getty Images

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  Thousands of birthday cards sent to Captain Tom for his 100th birthday on April 30th, are pictured displayed in the Hall of Bedford School. Getty Images

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  A close up of one of the thousands of birthday cards sent to Captain Tom for his 100th birthday. Getty Images

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  A mural depicting Captain Tom in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Getty Images

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  A nurse at Aintree University Hospital sheds a tear and as she pays tribute to super fundraiser Captain Tom during the "Clap for Our Carers" in April. Getty Images

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  Artist Sam Bailey puts the finishing touches to a mural acknowledging the work being done by the NHS, emergency services and the fundraising exploits of Captain Tom, at her home in Northampton. Getty Images

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  An hourly salute to Captain Tom in Piccadilly Circus, London. Getty Images

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  A man walks past a large painting of Captain Tom in Southport. Getty Images

“In the meantime, on behalf of the trustees of the Captain Tom Foundation, we wish to extend a warm thank you to all our supporters who have enabled us to help charities that were close to Captain Sir Tom's heart.”

Efforts have been made to approach Ms Ingram-Moore for comment.

In a statement to a national newspaper, the foundation said: “At no time were the Captain Tom Foundation's independent trustees aware of planning permissions made by Mr and Mrs Ingram-Moore purporting to be in the foundation's name.

“Had they been aware of any applications, the independent trustees would not have authorised them.”

The Charity Commission opened an inquiry in to the foundation in June 2022 after identifying concerns about the its management and independence from the late veteran's family.