In an eagerly awaited episode of Grand Designs, presenter Kevin McCloud revisits a notorious project from the series’ past: a grandiose lighthouse construction on North Devon’s coveted coastline, a venture that initially appeared to be a financial sinkhole and an emotional rollercoaster for the ambitious couple at its helm.
In 2011, Edward and Hazel embarked on their dream of building a brand-new, art deco-style lighthouse complex, complete with an infinity pool, on an exclusive stretch of North Devon coastline. Their plans were audacious: a gleaming, four-storey lighthouse, envisaged to be completed in 18 months at the staggering cost of £3.2 million, of which they had already invested £1.4 million in the land alone.
However, their grand vision quickly hit financial snags. The lender who had approved their substantial £1.8 million loan retracted their support, forcing Edward to rethink his plans. The couple constructed a smaller second house on the plot with the intention to sell it and fund their main project, yet this strategy failed to rescue their dwindling finances.
Relentlessly pursuing their dream, they demolished their old house on the site and initiated complex piling work on the new lighthouse, draining their entire £200k contingency fund.
By 2019, Edward’s audacious gamble had spiralled into a vortex of debt, pushing him to the brink of bankruptcy. His marriage to Hazel was reportedly at breaking point, and the incomplete lighthouse stood as a stark, rusting edifice of steel and concrete. The saga unfolded as one of the most heart-rending episodes in the history of Grand Designs.
Now, three years on, McCloud returns to the scene of the financial wreckage to investigate the current state of this infamous project. Has additional funding been unearthed to finish the lighthouse? And if so, who is now residing in this ambitious architectural feat? McCloud heads to Devon, weighed with trepidation, to uncover the latest chapter in this captivating saga.
Jamie