Grand Designs house dubbed 'saddest episode' sells for knockdown price (original) (raw)
A spectacular West Country mansion that once made an appearance on Channel 4's Grand Designs is currently one of the most viewed properties this month on Rightmove. The stunning coastal home, designed to mimic a lighthouse structure, sprawls over 3 acres of land.
Emerging as perhaps the "saddest episode" of Grand Designs in 2019, it detailed the downfalls confronted by property owner Edward Short. His ambitious yet ill-fated endeavour to transform Chesil Cliff House near Braunton in Devon led to the loss of his marriage and spawned a staggering £7million debt.
The coastal house, which took 12 long years to construct, saw no resident in Edward. Nonetheless, it surfaces now among the top five viewed houses this month on popular property site, Rightmove.
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Rightmove describes the property as: "This 5-bedroom house, positioned on its own private clifftop in Devon, has been featured on Grand Designs, and offers spectacular coastal views."
Interior highlights include expansive floor-to-ceiling windows capturing captivating vistas of the ocean, whilst the exterior boasts an infinity pool, multiple areas for outdoor entertaining, and 3 acres of grounds to discover, reports Devon Live.
This grand structural beauty, priced at £10million when it unfolded on Grand Designs two years ago, has seen many changes since then. Initially listed for sale in February 2022, it failed to secure a buyer and was withdrawn from the market in spring 2023 due to potential interest.
However, as of June 2023, it has reappeared with a reduced price tag of £7.5m.
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The asking price was adjusted again in autumn 2023 to £6.5m. However, the five-bedroom property is now on the market for a reduced price of £5.2m, the Independent reports.
Grand Designs host Kevin McCloud still keeps in contact with Edward and said there is "lots of interest" in the property. Speaking to House Beautiful, Kevin said: "He's had a couple of celebrities and I think he’s had a comedian or two, because it is quite an expensive house, and so consequently for people who are interested, they need to make loads of money, and that includes actors and performers and singers.
"Last time I met Ed he was sort of close to a deal, so that's all I know. It's a fabulous story. A story of hubris and overreaching and destruction really, of things, of personal life, turned into a sort of story about redemption and growth, so it was an amazing thing. People called it the last ever Grand Designs as if that was it, we were going to go out on a low. Why would they do that? Because it's a good headline."
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