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A MILLIONAIRE has upset his new neighbours on an exclusive road with plans to demolish his £2.2m home and replace it with a 'Sandbanks-style eyesore'.
Businessman Justin Priestley bought the detached house in Studland in 2023.
But he has left neighbours 'heartbroken' with his plans to knock it down and replace it with a glitzy, modern property with a huge glass frontage.
They claim it is the latest example of an outsider trying to 'turn Studland into the millionaire's playground of Sandbanks' which is now full.
Immediate neighbour Pippa Lightbown says the new three storey property will overshadow hers and will her summer evenings in her back garden.
Others say the light pollution from the contemporary home will be so strong it will impact the flora, fauna and wildlife on the heathland it overlooks.
It will also stand out 'like a sore thumb' when people take in the spectacular view of the protected Isle of Purbeck countryside.
Mr Priestley has apparently rarely been seen at the property since he bought it and it is thought that he intends to use it as a holiday home.
It is believed that he is from the London area and possibly works as a property developer or has connections 'with the city'.
The property is on a private elevated road that has stunning views of Studland beach, Sandbanks and Poole Bay.
One neighbour, who runs a local brewers with her husband, fears her family's quality of life will be eroded by living in the shadow of the 'overpowering' home.
Pippa Lightbown said: "We have no objection to people improving their properties, but to demolish a £2.2million house and rebuild it seems to be impossible to justify ecologically.
"The proposed home will overpower us and block out the light in our garden so we will be living in a big shadow which will ruin our summer evenings.
"This is an area of outstanding natural beauty and these houses are the first you see of the Purbecks looking across from Bournemouth and Poole.
"What they are trying to achieve will stick out like a sore thumb."
Alison Ferguson, 85, a retired lab technician who lives six doors down, said: "They say there's no more room in Sandbanks so they are all trying to move over here to Studland.
"It is changing the character of the area and not in a good way.
"Now this road is mostly second homes and AirBnBs.
"Before you could leave your windows open and you would only ever see a postman or milkman.
"That home will be completely out of character with the area.
"This is Studland and they are trying to turn it into Sandbanks."
Another neighbour said they were 'heartbroken' at the proposal.
She added that residents each pay £365 a year to the National Trust for the private road's upkeep and face bills of thousands of pounds more in case of damage caused by lorries coming and going during the building work.
The middle-aged woman, who did not want to be named, said: "The road is already in a state of disrepair from delivery lorries going up and down it.
"It's going to take two years to build and it is going to be gridlock with lorries.
"They are going to churn up the road and it will cost us thousands of pounds to repair it.
"We just want a peaceful life and this whole thing has left us heartbroken."
A male neighbour said: "The road belongs to the National Trust and we all pay towards its upkeep.
"Damage is quite likely if you have lorries going up and down it.
"People are worried about the impact of the glass front as this is a dark area.
"These homes look out onto the largest nature reserve in the area and a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
"We must preserve their character and not allow this out of character Sandbanks-style eyesore."
A spokesperson for Vesp Architects, representing Mr Priestly, said the new 'negative carbon, zero emission property will replace a poor quality, inefficient house'.
They added it will be 'high quality design will enhance the character of the area and provide a functional home for years to come.
The three storey house will have a large open plan living area on the ground floor along with a second living room.
The first floor will have a three en suite bedrooms and two balconies at the front and rear while the top floor will have a fourth en suite bedroom and another lounge with balcony that will make the most of the views.
Despite their complaints, the planning application was approved by officials at Dorset Council's planning committee.
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