Latest news with #EdwardShort
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Grand Designs' lighthouse that wrecked owner's marriage finally sells for cut price
Grand Designs' lighthouse's owner speaks out after the 'saddest ever' property sells The Grand Designs lighthouse on the cliffs of North Devon that featured in the "saddest ever episode" and caused a family heartbreak has finally sold. Owner Edward Short's dream of building the lighthouse in 2011 turned into a waking nightmare. His dream home, set in three acres of land, cost the 57-year-old dad-of-two his marriage to wife Hazel and left him on the brink of bankruptcy. In January 2014, the lighthouse, Chesil Cliff House – later renamed The Crest – was re-listed and it finally sold in October. The lighthouse went on the market with estate agents Savills at a slashed price of £5.25m. Savills confirmed to Yahoo UK: "Savills marketed the property for sale between January and October 2024 which resulted in a sale being secured and completed in October 2024." Inside the 'saddest ever' Grand Designs After the sale, Short joked he would buy the lighthouse back if he won the lottery. He said: "It is definitely the closure of a long chapter of my life – there is no doubt about that. I mentally moved on from the property a while ago as the writing was on the wall. "I am relieved it is sold; it gives me closure. I put everything I could as a person to make it work, but it didn't. It is not the end of the world, but it was a financial failure. "I will still be buying a lottery ticket and dreaming that I can buy it back." His ambitious Grand Designs project was both over budget and the renovation was meant to take 18 months but it took 12 years. It first courted attention when the lighthouse was the centre of a Grand Designs episode in 2019. When it was first on the property market, the lighthouse – along with the beach house The Eye – was listed for £10m with estate agents Knight Frank. Although it had been close to a sale at one point, it fell through and it didn't sell. This led to the properties being listed separately. Despite the setbacks from the build, Short holds fond memories of the house. He said: "I do look back at lots of elements of building that house that I enjoyed. There were moments that were amazing. All the time I spent building the house was amazing — that never leaves you." In July last year, Short said he had learned a valuable lesson in losing everything. He told The Sun: "The peaks and troughs of money is something I have got used to and you soon realise that money breeds bad habits. "It is not the route to happiness and you can lose who you are. You get to a place where so you're buying things you don't need and you become an addict, a toxic consumer... "There's always a bigger boat, a better car or a better house... but it turns you into a person I didn't like being. Either you realise and get out or you'll always be chasing the bigger boat." Kevin McCloud's thoughts on the lighthouse Previously, Grand Designs presenter Kevin McCloud hailed the amazing hope that lighthouse owner Short always had. "You can't show people the future, you can only warn them," he told Yahoo UK in January 2024. "Even in the worst situations, Edward Short – who borrowed millions to finish his lighthouse that he is still trying to sell in Devon – even at his worst moment, he was still full of hope and that's the most amazing thing to discover the energy that human beings have... Goodness me, they become superhuman." McCloud filmed a second special episode where he revisited the property, finally finished in 2022. The presenter shared his verdict on the journey. He said on the Channel 4 show: "Edward and his family have journeyed with an 11-year odyssey with this project. In the face of overwhelming odds, Edward never once blinked, he pushed his dream to the end and achieved the near impossible. "Three years ago, I described this project as a cautionary tale of overreaching ambition. One which had damaged relationships, fractured a family, which also had taken Ed to the brink of bankruptcy. But then you see that same ambition, that same drive is what has Ed to this point, a point where he can call this place finished. "Where the family can draw a line. They can move on. Buildings can sustain us physically and emotionally too. Their walls can contain angst and pain as well as love and joy. I don't think I have ever visited a place which so eloquently spoke of healing, redemption and achievement."
Edinburgh Live
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
'Saddest' Grand Designs home finally sells after 12 years of turmoil and 7m debt
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A home modelled after a lighthouse, which featured in what was labelled the 'saddest ever' episode of Grand Designs, has finally found a buyer after 12 years of renovations. The notorious Chesil Cliff House left its owner, Edward Short, 57, sinking in £7m of debt. The construction of this distinctive property spanned over a decade and went several million pounds over budget, worsened by a recession and ultimately leading to the end of Edward's marriage to his wife Hazel. The house gained infamy when it appeared on Channel 4's Grand Designs, with viewers dubbing it the "saddest episode ever" following its broadcast in October 2019. The programme followed Edward and his family's journey as they faced numerous setbacks, leaving the house in Croyde, Devon, unfinished and the family saddled with millions of pounds in debt. The five-bedroom property was put back on the market in 2024 for a hefty £5.25m and has now found a buyer. On 19 August 2025, Edward expressed his relief that the property had been sold, joking that he would still be buying lottery tickets in hopes of one day reclaiming it. Edward said: "It is definitely the closure of a long chapter of my life - there is no doubt about that. I mentally moved on from the property a while ago as the writing was on the wall. "I am relieved it is sold; it gives me closure. I put everything I could as a person to make it work, but it didn't. It is not the end of the world, but it was a financial failure. I will still be buying a lottery ticket and dreaming that I can buy it back.", reports Devon Live. The property was originally listed for sale in February 2023, but struggled to attract a purchaser. Then in late 2024, the five-bedroom residence was placed back on the market, with Savills marketing it on behalf of joint receivers at a reduced price of £5.25m. Rumours circulated that famous faces including Harry Styles and Michael Jackson's former bodyguard Matt Fiddes had expressed interest in the dwelling - but no deal came to fruition. Speaking in November 2024, Matt said: "It is in a very valuable part of Croyde. It is a great corner but absolutely knocking it down and building something more modest would make much better financial sense. It would make the locals happy and give a safer access. That is definitely an option and is what the locals want. "If my bid is successful, I will listen to the community and hear them out. All I hear at the moment though, is that it is getting vandalised and the locals just want rid of it." Edward disclosed that he still looks back on his time constructing the property with fond memories. He said the period he spent building the house was amongst the finest times of his life. Edward said: "I do look back at lots of elements of building that house that I enjoyed. There were moments that were amazing. All the time I spent building the house was amazing - that never leaves you." Costs spiralled far beyond what owner Edward had anticipated as he tried to transform the property into an art deco lighthouse. The home was originally put on the market through Knight Frank for £10 million and boasts an infinity pool plus three acres of land. A purchase almost completed before a mystery buyer pulled out at the eleventh hour, forcing it to be re-advertised and split into two individual lots - the primary home valued at £7.5 million while the adjacent seaside development called 'The Eye' had a £2.5 million price tag. The show also revealed how the bold scheme had placed tremendous strain on Edward's marriage, eventually resulting in his split from wife Hazel. Despite the obstacles, Edward remained committed to finishing the project. Edward previously said: "I'll always be proud to have finished this. I owe it to my family to have a real end result, but the time has come to move on. I will have achieved what I set out to do, never deviating from the plans, and for that I'll always be proud." The property has been anchored into the cliff's bedrock. Edward, a father-of-two, previously explained he had little choice but to put it on the market to cover the substantial sums he'd borrowed, with total expenditure expected to hit £6 million.
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Inside 'saddest ever' Grand Designs house that tore family part as it FINALLY sells
A lighthouse-inspired property that appeared in the "saddest ever" episode of Grand Designs has finally sold after a 12 painful years of construction work and renovations. Chesil Cliff House became well-known after its builder, Edward Short, 57, was left £7 million in debt due to the project's spiraling costs. The home took over a decade to complete, running millions over budget - with the 2008 recession playing a role - and the ordeal ultimately led to the breakdown of Edward's marriage to wife Hazel. The property was featured in a 2019 episode of Channel 4's Grand Designs, which many viewers called the show's "saddest ever" after seeing the emotional and financial toll it took. The episode documented the troubled build, showing how delays and setbacks left the striking clifftop home in Croyde, Devon, incomplete and the family financially devastated. Listed again in 2024 with an asking price of £5.25 million, the five-bedroom property has now finally sold. Here we take a look inside the infamous property and the nightmare that unfolded for the family who built it...
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
'Saddest ever' Grand Designs home finally sells after 11 years of misery and £7m of debt
Chesil Cliff House was the subject of the 'saddest ever' Grand Designs episode after owner Edward Short's dream home left him in £7m of debt and his marriage in tatters A home inspired by a lighthouse which featured on what was dubbed the 'saddest ever' episode of Grand Designs has finally been sold after 12 years of renovations. The infamous Chesil Cliff House left its owner, Edward Short, 57, drowning in £7m of debt. The construction of this unique property took over a decade and went several million pounds over budget, exacerbated by a recession and ultimately leading to the end of Edward's marriage to his wife Hazel. The house gained notoriety when it featured on Channel 4's Grand Designs, with viewers labelling it the "saddest episode ever" following its broadcast in October 2019. The programme chronicled Edward and his family's journey as they faced numerous setbacks, leaving the house in Croyde, Devon, unfinished and the family burdened with millions of pounds in debt. The five-bedroom property was put back on the market in 2024 for a hefty £5.25m and has now found a buyer. On August 19, 2025, Edward expressed his relief that the property had been sold, joking that he would still be buying lottery tickets in hopes of one day reclaiming it. Edward said: "It is definitely the closure of a long chapter of my life - there is no doubt about that. I mentally moved on from the property a while ago as the writing was on the wall. "I am relieved it is sold; it gives me closure. I put everything I could as a person to make it work, but it didn't. It is not the end of the world, but it was a financial failure. I will still be buying a lottery ticket and dreaming that I can buy it back.", reports Devon Live. The property was initially put up for sale in February 2023, but failed to find a buyer. Then in late 2024, the five-bedroom home returned to the market once more, marketed by Savills on behalf of joint receivers at a slashed price of £5.25m. Speculation swirled that celebrities including Harry Styles and Michael Jackson's former bodyguard Matt Fiddes had shown interest in the property - but no transaction materialised. Speaking in November 2024, Matt said: "It is in a very valuable part of Croyde. It is a great corner but absolutely knocking it down and building something more modest would make much better financial sense. It would make the locals happy and give a safer access. That is definitely an option and is what the locals want. "If my bid is successful, I will listen to the community and hear them out. All I hear at the moment though, is that it is getting vandalised and the locals just want rid of it." Edward revealed that he still reflects on his time constructing the property with cherished memories. He said the period he spent building the house was amongst the finest times of his life. Edward said: "I do look back at lots of elements of building that house that I enjoyed. There were moments that were amazing. All the time I spent building the house was amazing - that never leaves you." Expenses ballooned beyond all expectations for owner Edward as he attempted to convert the property into an art deco lighthouse. The residence was initially marketed through Knight Frank for £10 million and features an infinity pool alongside three acres of grounds. A sale nearly went through before a mysterious purchaser withdrew at the last minute, prompting it to be relisted and divided into two separate lots - the main residence priced at £7.5 million whilst the neighbouring beachside development dubbed 'The Eye' carried a £2.5 million asking price. The programme also disclosed how the ambitious project had put enormous pressure on Edward's marriage, ultimately leading to his separation from wife Hazel. Regardless of the setbacks, Edward stayed determined to see the venture through to completion. Edward previously said: "I'll always be proud to have finished this. I owe it to my family to have a real end result, but the time has come to move on. I will have achieved what I set out to do, never deviating from the plans, and for that I'll always be proud." The property has been secured into the cliff's bedrock. Edward, a father-of-two, previously explained he had little choice but to put it on the market to cover the substantial sums he'd borrowed, with total expenditure expected to hit £6 million.
Wales Online
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Home on 'saddest ever' Grand Designs episode finally sells after 12 years of renovating
Home on 'saddest ever' Grand Designs episode finally sells after 12 years of renovating Owner Edward Short saw his marriage end and spiralled into £7m of debt thanks to the house Edward Short at the home in 2019 A lighthouse-inspired home that featured on the 'saddest ever' Grand Designs episode has now sold after 12 years of renovations. Chesil Cliff House became infamous after the home's construction left its owner Edward Short, 57, in £7m of debt. The construction of the home took 12 years and went several million pounds over budget - hit back by the recession and ultimately costing him his marriage to wife Hazel. It featured on Channel 4's Grand Designs and was described as the "saddest episode ever" by many who watched it after airing in October 2019. The episode followed Edward and his family as misfortune beset the project leaving the house in Croyde, Devon, unfinished and with the family plunged into millions of pounds worth of debt. The five-bedroom home went back up for sale in 2024 for £5.25m and has now been sold. Speaking on August 19, 2025, Edward said he is 'relieved' that the property has sold and joked he will still be buying a lottery ticket with the dream of buying it back. Edward said: "It is definitely the closure of a long chapter of my life - there is no doubt about that. I mentally moved on from the property a while ago as the writing was on the wall. Chesil Cliff House in Croyde, Devon "I am relieved it is sold; it gives me closure. I put everything I could as a person to make it work, but it didn't. It is not the end of the world, but it was a financial failure. I will still be buying a lottery ticket and dreaming that I can buy it back." Article continues below The property was first listed for sale in February 2023, but did not sell. Then in late 2024, the five-bedroom home was back on the market again, listed by Savills on behalf of joint receivers at a knockdown price of £5.25m. It was rumoured that the likes of Harry Styles and Michael Jackson's former bodyguard Matt Fiddes were interested in the property - but no deal ever emerged. Speaking in November 2024, Matt said: "It is in a very valuable part of Croyde. It is a great corner but absolutely knocking it down and building something more modest would make much better financial sense. It would make the locals happy and give a safer access. That is definitely an option and is what the locals want. "If my bid is successful, I will listen to the community and hear them out. All I hear at the moment though, is that it is getting vandalised and the locals just want rid of it." It has been described as one of the saddest episodes in Grand Designs' history Edward said that he still looks at his time building the property with fond memories. He said the time he spent building the house were some of the best times of his life. Edward said: "I do look back at lots of elements of building that house that I enjoyed. There were moments that were amazing. All the time I spent building the house was amazing - that never leaves you." Costs spiralled out of control for owner Edward when he tried to transform the house into an art deco lighthouse. It was originally listed on Knight Frank's website for £10 million and boasts an infinity pool with three acres of land. It was close to being purchased before a mystery buyer pulled out and was later put back on the market and been split into two with the main house being offered for £7.5 million while the second adjacent beach development called 'The Eye' was available for £2.5 million. Edward said he had incredible memories of building the house The show also revealed that the process had taken a strain on Edward's personal life, resulting in his separating from his wife Hazel. Despite all the problems, Edward remained adamant he would finish. Speaking previously, Edward said: "I'll always be proud to have finished this. I owe it to my family to have a real end result, but the time has come to move on. "I will have achieved what I set out to do, never deviating from the plans, and for that I'll always be proud." Article continues below The house has been anchored into the bedrock of the cliff. Edward, a dad-of-two, previously said he had no option but to sell it to cover the large amount of money he had to borrow and said the total costs were set to reach £6m.
