Sandbanks - New factual documentary starring Piers Morgan
15 January 2008 @ 10-11.05pm on ITV1
A small peninsular jutting out from the coast of Dorset that little over 100 years ago was no more than a sand dune housing a couple of coastguard cottages, has become one of the most expensive places to live in the world.
Today Sandbanks is a developers' paradise, a playground to the rich and famous which, with properties on the market for up to £12 million pounds, has become known as Britain's answer to Monte Carlo.
Piers Morgan presents a new three part documentary series exploring the extraordinary phenomenon that is Sandbanks – less than 5 km of shoreline with a beach one side and a harbour the other – where a boom in the 1990s means only popstars, footballers and multi-millionaires can afford to buy the new super homes.
But despite the beautiful harbour adorned with million pound yachts, it's not all plain sailing on Sandbanks. Some of the older and more traditional residents aren't in favour of the sudden influx of new money and redevelopment.
War veteran Jack Holsgrove paid £60,000 for his beach property 35 years ago and refuses to sell despite the estate agents who turn up on his doorstep uninvited, with a promise of millions for his home.
"I am not selling….Where would I go to better this?" says Jack. "No way, what would I do with 10 million? Not at any price. I wouldn't have time to spend it."
And Jack is not alone. Eddie Mitchell - the property developer responsible for innovative creations such as Thunderbird - a five bedroom copper roofed semi-circular dream home on the market for £3.25 million – is being met with ripples of resentment from some Sandbanks old timers, who are concerned about the pressure they say such development is putting on local amenities, as well as worries about it spoiling the area's original character.
In programme one Piers Morgan lifts the lid on the Sandbanks phenomenon meeting the main players including 'The David Beckham of Sandbanks' as Piers calls him - Portsmouth FC manager, Harry Redknapp. Harry shows Piers around the £10 million sea front property he owns on what has become known as Sandbanks' millonaires' row.
Piers also meets £7 million Portsmouth signing Sulley Montari, property developer Eddie Mitchell famous for his outrageous creations, Richard Carr, a controversial local boy made good who's knocking down houses to make way for blocks of flats, Tom Doyle, the estate agent who's made so much money from the goldrush that he owns two Bentleys, and leading the campaign against the redevelopment, Terry Stewart, President of the local Residents' Association.
