A distraught pensioner claims her retirement dream has been "completely shattered" by a millionaire's plans to build a "monstrosity" next door.
Her millionaire neighbour has won approval to tear down his £2.2million detached house and replace it with a modern glass-fronted home.
The elderly resident had planned to spend the rest of her life in the peaceful village of Studland, Dorset, which boasts stunning views of heathland and the bay.
But now she is riddled with concern that her retirement will transform into "complete hell" as the neighbouring property is transformed into a modern glass-fronted home - or what locals describe as a "glass monstrosity".
Most of the properties are around 100 years old
Google Street View
"It is just the most beautiful peaceful place on earth. Absolute heaven, we were so looking forward to spending the end of our days there," she told the Sun, adding that it has been her dream for three decades.
The woman purchased her home 30 years ago as a holiday property, with plans to eventually retire there permanently, where most of the properties are around a century old.
The new design of the neighbouring property will be similar to properties found in Sandbanks - an area known for housing multi-millionaires and celebrities like Harry and Jamie Redknapp.
The pensioners lamented that her home will never be the same again, since she will be forced to live next to a building site for years to come.
Dorset council has approved the plans for a three-storey house with an open plan living area and a first-floor lounge with balcony, which neighbours fear will transform the character of Studland into a "world away" from Sandbanks.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
"Most of the houses here are 100 years old and a lot are handed down through families. They stay almost as they always were which creates a really unique environment," said one resident.
Another neighbour expressed concern that this approval might "open the floodgates" to more Sandbanks-style homes.
"It is very hard to buy a home in Sandbanks now and Studland is just a five-minute ferry ride away," they added.
Residents have also raised environmental concerns about the development's impact on local wildlife, expressing worry on the possibility that the ongoing building work will drive animals away from the heath.
Residents have become engulfed in the dispute in an area known for housing celebrities like Harry and Jamie Redknapp
GETTY
The architects behind the controversial design, Vesp Architects, defend the project as a significant improvement on the existing structure.
They describe the new home as a "negative carbon, zero emission property" that will replace a "poor quality, inefficient house".
According to the firm, the development will feature "high quality design" that will "enhance the character of the area", adding that the new property will "provide a functional home for years to come".
Despite these assurances, many local residents remain unconvinced about the suitability of the modern design in their traditional setting.
