Sandbanks residents rail against yacht club expansion claiming it will let boat owners look into their luxury homes

DAILYMAIL.COM • 1h ago

By LETTICE BROMOVSKY, NEWS REPORTER 17:37 19 Oct 2026, updated 17:37 19 Oct 2026

Furious residents on one of Britain’s most exclusive stretches of coastline are fighting plans to expand a prestigious yacht club over fears wealthy boat owners will be able to peer into their multi-million-pound homes.

Homeowners on Sandbanks, the millionaire’s playground in Dorset, have raised concerns that proposals to extend the Royal Motor Yacht Club’s marina further into Poole Harbour will rob them of their privacy.

The exclusive club, which counted Prince Philip as its Admiral for almost 70 years, wants to create additional berths for yachts by expanding its existing marina.

But neighbours living in waterfront properties worth up to £3million fear the development will bring large boats so close to their gardens that passengers will be able to look directly into their homes.

Residents have also warned that construction work could cause structural damage to their luxury properties, while changes to the seabed could leave their private jetties clogged with sand.

The row has erupted in Sandbanks, a tiny peninsula renowned for its eye-watering property prices and wealthy residents, where waterfront homes regularly command millions of pounds.

The Royal Motor Yacht Club has applied to Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council for permission to extend its marina after being advised to remove 24 existing moorings from Poole Harbour.

Natural England recommended their removal over concerns that boat anchors were damaging sensitive eelgrass beds on the seabed.

The club now wants to replace the moorings with additional berths inside an enlarged marina.

However, residents of neighbouring Old Coastguard Road, where a row of exclusive properties backs directly onto the harbour, have lodged objections to the proposals.

Frank Carr, who lives just four doors away from the yacht club, said the development threatened his family’s privacy and could potentially damage their home.

He said: ‘We live four doors down from the RMYC. We have three concerns.

‘Privacy. The extension brings large boats much closer to us. We object to this as they will look directly into our private spaces.

‘Sand deposition. The paperwork describes seabed movement and material shifting west. We are worried sand will build up under our jetty.

‘Risk to our home. Our house dates from the 1930s and whilst it is not listed, planners have called it a first-generation house within the Sandbanks CA (Conservation Area).

‘We ask for a structural survey before work starts, limits on noise and vibration, with monitoring through the piling.

‘We also ask that works are halted immediately if and when damage occurs, pending further investigation.’

Other neighbours have questioned whether the larger marina would spoil the appearance of the exclusive conservation area.

One resident has also demanded assurances that any damage caused to neighbouring properties during construction would be repaired.

There are particular concerns about the vibrations caused by piling work, which homeowners fear could threaten the structural integrity of houses dating back almost a century.

Residents have also warned that the development could alter the movement of sediment across the harbour, potentially causing sand to accumulate beneath their private jetties.

They fear this could force them to carry out expensive maintenance dredging to keep their boats accessible.

Meanwhile, objections have been raised over the potential loss of a stretch of public foreshore behind the properties, which is currently enjoyed by walkers and visitors at low tide.

The waterfront area is particularly popular at sunrise and sunset, when the retreating tide exposes parts of the harbour bed.

Neighbour Alexandra Catallo warned that the additional berths would permanently encroach on the space, adding ‘we cannot see the benefit that outweighs that loss’.

The Environment Agency has also raised concerns about the potential impact of the expansion on the surrounding coastline.

It has questioned whether the enlarged marina could cause sediment to build up behind properties on Old Coastguard Road.

The agency has also highlighted the potential loss of a sensitive sand dune as a result of the proposed development.

The objections threaten to derail plans by one of Sandbanks’ most prestigious institutions.

The Royal Motor Yacht Club has long been associated with the area’s wealthy boating community and enjoyed a close royal connection through the late Duke of Edinburgh.

Prince Philip served as Admiral of the club for almost seven decades, cementing its reputation as one of the south coast’s most exclusive boating establishments.

In planning documents submitted to BCP Council, the club insisted it remained an important part of the Sandbanks community, with many local residents among its members.

It said the expansion was necessary to accommodate members’ boats following the proposed removal of the 24 harbour moorings.

The club also maintained that the enlarged marina would not deprive neighbouring homeowners of their views across Poole Harbour or adversely affect their properties.

BCP Council is expected to make a decision on the yacht club’s application in the coming weeks.

Do you have a story? Email lettice.bromovsky@dailymail.co.uk

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