A SCOTS tycoon has smashed the record for the most expensive house sale in an exclusive coastal neighbourhood.
A harbourside mansion that belonged to Louise McGlinn, the Scottish heiress of the Body Shop empire, has sold for just under £16million.
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It outstrips the previous record for the Poole Harbour waterfront which was £13.5m paid by entrepreneur Tom Glanfield for a bungalow on a large plot on Sandbanks in 2023.
Miss McGlinn bought the house in 2008 for £9.4m. Her late father was Ian McGlinn, the son of a Glasgow shipyard worker who famously lent Anita Roddick £4,000 to set up the Body Shop.
He sold his share of the company in 2006 for £146m. The five-bedroom Arts & Craft-style home occupies one of the best plots on the waterfront and has stunning views of Poole Harbour.
Miss McGlinn sold the five-bedroom home earlier this year to property developer tycoon Richard Carr and his company Fortitudo.
He sparked controversy among the neighbours with plans to demolish the large detached house and replace it with three new luxury homes. But before the plans could be approved by the local council Fortitudo accepted the near-£16m offer for the property from a private buyer.
It is believed the new owners are from the Home Counties area and will look to demolish the existing house.
They are then likely to spend more than £2million building a bespoke mansion in its place that will be worth over £20million when finished. The south-facing property is on Pearce Avenue, which is next to the Sandbanks peninsula, and has direct access to the water.
A spokesperson for Fortitudo said: “We are proud to announce the record-breaking sale of a premium waterside site on Pearce Avenue, Poole.
“This landmark transaction, sold at just under £16million, sets the highest price achieved for single-site sales in the area.
“Situated in one of Dorset’s most sought-after locations, the Pearce Avenue site offers unparalleled views and access to Poole Harbour.”
Fortitudo’s CEO, Richard Carr, said: “The new owners are going to pull the current house down and look to build a new property which would be worth about £20million.
“I think there is a realisation that Sandbanks peninsula suffers from a lot of congestion in the summer and I think the Pearce Avenue area is possibly a nicer spot to have a home overlooking the water.
“You get the sun from the east to the west all day long and some of the best views of the harbour and Brownsea Island.”
Robert Dunford, of estate agents Tailor Made, who handled the sale, said: “We are proud to have assisted Fortitudo Ltd with the sale of this prestigious waterside development plot.
“We are delighted to secure a sale, setting a new benchmark for single-site sales in the area at just under £16 million.”
Sandbanks – Britain’s answer to Miami Beach – has been one of the most desirable places to live in the UK for over 20 years. In 2000 the strip of land was named the fourth most expensive place to buy residential property in the world, behind Tokyo, Hong Kong and London.
Harry and Sandra Redknapp have owned three houses there while Sky Sports pundit Graeme Souness lives close by.
Celebrity interior designer Celia Sawyer also lives on Sandbanks.
According to a 2022 survey by estate agents Savills, Monaco was the most desirable place in the world for property which sells for the equivalent of £4,374 per square foot. Hong Kong was next at £3,775 followed by New York (£2,150), Geneva (£1,875), Tokyo (£1,850), Shanghai (£1,850) and London (£1,741).
Mr Dunford believes demand for waterside property around the harbour has increased even more since the pandemic.
He said: “Demand and prices for waterfront property in Britain has rapidly increased following Covid.
“People have realised they can work from home and don’t need to be tied to an office in London.
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“They have reevaluated their work-life balance and places like Sandbanks seem to be even more desirable now.
“The location brings with it the lifestyle. You have Poole Harbour, award winning sandy beaches and the Jurassic Isle Of Purbeck as your playground.”
