Wealthy residents of Sandbanks, one of the UK's most expensive addresses, are objecting to plans to demolish the historic Haven Hotel, which they have branded a "disgusting act of vandalism." The hotel has stood at the entrance to Poole Harbour since 1880 and holds particular significance as the site where Guglielmo Marconi conducted pioneering wireless telegraphy experiments in 1898, making it a birthplace of radio technology whose network later relayed the Titanic's distress signals.

Owners FJB Hotels say the 84-room building has reached the end of its useful life and become too costly to run through winter, prompting its closure, while a planning agent insists a new hotel of similar size will be built on the site. However, residents fear the plot could be left derelict for years to pave the way for more lucrative flat developments, pointing to a previous 2017 application for 119 apartments. Objectors including Keith Ulyatt, Andrew Reed, Carl Emms and Sarah Charles have written to planners criticising the demolition proposal for lacking a firm replacement plan and for allegedly allowing the building's condition to deteriorate to justify its loss.