Grand Designs' 'saddest house' sees price slash to £5.2m after owner's £7m loss

A magnificent mansion in the West Country that had its moment in the limelight on Channel 4's Grand Designs is currently one of the most popular property searches this month on Rightmove.

The exquisite beach home, modelled after a lighthouse, is set on an impressive three acres of land. Dubbed as possibly the "saddest episode" of Grand Designs back in 2019, viewers watched homeowner Edward Short grapple with numerous setbacks including the loss of his marriage and amassing a staggering debt of £ 7 million as he endeavoured to remodel Chesil Cliff House located near Braunton in Devon.

The seaside residence took no less than 12 years to build, yet its owner never got to reside there. Despite this, it ranks among the top five most viewed homes this month on the well-known property site, Rightmove. Rightmove paints the following picture of the house: "This 5-bedroom house, positioned on its own private clifftop in Devon, has been featured on Grand Designs, and offers spectacular coastal views."

Inside, the property surprises with spacious floor-to-ceiling windows offering breathtaking views of the ocean, while the exterior features an infinity pool, multiple areas for outdoor entertaining, and 3 acres of grounds to explore, according to Gloucestershire Live. Originally valued at £ 10 million during its feature on Grand Designs two years ago, the architectural wonder has seen many changes since. It was first listed for sale in February 2022 but failed to attract a buyer.

It was then temporarily taken off the market in spring 2023 following potential interest. As of June 2023, the property made a comeback with a slashed price tag of £7.5m. By autumn 2023, the asking price was further reduced to £6.5m. Now, this five-bedroom gem is on the market for an even lower £5.2m, according to the Independent.

Grand Designs' very own Kevin McCloud revealed he's still in touch with Edward, the owner, and shared that there's "lots of interest" in the house.

Chatting with House Beautiful, Kevin disclosed: "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."

Kevin went on: "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."

Grand Designs episodes are available to watch on All 4.