BBC Homes Under the Hammer couple 'had to call the police' after discovery at Chaddesden property
A Derby couple got an explosive surprise at their Chaddesden property on today's episode (Monday, January 13) of BBC Homes Under the Hammer. Lee and Laura purchased the Derby lot for £60,000 at auction.
This rare opportunity came along when a plot in a prime residential location became available, with existing planning permission for a four-bedroom townhouse. Describing the lot as "a developer's dream come true", Homes Under the Hammer host Dion Dublin discovered a shocking fact about the lot's initial development.
Whilst working on the site's foundations, Lee, who owns a building company, discovered a hand grenade in the bushes at the back of the plot. Lee said: "We had to call the police, and the bomb squad came down. They evacuated all the houses down here."
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After revealing this to the host, the family explained that the plot was otherwise ideal for a new-build home. Despite this big surprise, the family were excited to begin their building project, with even their children Amelie and Louis getting involved.
The couple planned to build a three-story home with a £170,000 budget that they could then rent out to generate passive income. Laura explained that they wanted it to be a family home with a high spec finish.
The house will have a large garden, a driveway with EV charging points and a heat pump to reduce carbon emissions. Carrying out the project is Lee's team of eleven employees and various contractors. Their goal was to finish the Derby property in 8-10 months.
A local estate agent estimated that they would be able to rent the property for approximately £1,200 per calendar month on completion or sell for £325,000.
You can watch the episode on BBC iPlayer via the link here. It was broadcast at 11.30am this morning (Monday, January 13) on BBC1.