Grand Designs house branded 'saddest ever' finally sells after 12 years
A lighthouse-inspired property, which featured in what was dubbed the "saddest ever" episode of Grand Designs, has finally been sold after a gruelling 12 years of construction and renovation.
Chesil Cliff House gained notoriety when its builder, Edward Short, 57, found himself £7 million in debt due to the project's escalating costs.
The house took over a decade to finish, running millions over budget - with the 2008 recession playing a part - and the ordeal ultimately led to the breakdown of Edward's marriage to his wife Hazel.
When Edward and Hazel put their life savings into building their fantasy home on the coast, they hoped it would change their lives for the better and give their two children an enviable childhood.
The property was showcased in a 2019 episode of Channel 4's Grand Designs, an episode many viewers labelled as the show's "saddest ever" after witnessing the emotional and financial strain it caused.
The instalment chronicled the troubled build, revealing how delays and setbacks left the striking clifftop home in Croyde, Devon, unfinished and the family financially ruined, reports the Mirror.
Relisted in 2024 with a price tag of £5.25 million, the five-bedroom property has now finally found a buyer.
Let's take a look back inside this infamous property and the nightmare that unfolded for the family who built it....
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