Grand Designs 'saddest ever' house now after £7m debt and a broken marriage

-Credit: (Image: Match Property)
-Credit: (Image: Match Property)


Grand Designs returns for its 24th series tonight (Wednesday, September 25) with presenter Kevin McCloud once again guiding the public through their ambitious building projects.

Since its debut in 1999, the show has aired over 150 episodes, but one property has resonated with viewers more than any other.

Chesil Cliff House, located in Croyde, Devon, has been labelled as 'the saddest ever' Grand Designs house after owner Edward Short encountered a series of issues with the luxury home, including a marital breakdown and an estimated debt of £7million.

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As the beloved home renovation programme returns to our screens tonight, we explore whether this cliffside property has finally found a buyer.


The property has caused owner Edward Short headaches and heartache -Credit:Tom Wren SWNS
The property has caused owner Edward Short headaches and heartache -Credit:Tom Wren SWNS

What's the current asking price for Chesil Cliff House?

Originally listed for a hefty £10m in February 2022, the property remains on the market two-and-a-half years later at a significantly reduced price.

Savills currently lists the house for 'just' £5.25m. Despite attracting interest from multimillionaires, including reportedly pop star Harry Styles, when it first hit the market, the property remains unsold due to potential buyers considering the asking price too steep.

The price tag has been slashed several times, initially to £7.5m, then to £6.5m, with the house now valued at just over half of its original listing price.

The property is now being marketed by Savills on behalf of receivers, with Mr Short facing a multi-million pound deficit due to the ambitious project.

Savills describes the five-bedroom property for potential buyers as: "The property represents a once in a lifetime opportunity to take on and finish the specification and fit out one of the UK's most spectacularly situated coastal homes.

"The bespoke design has been brought to life through impressive engineering, with the building being anchored to the bed rock, blending whitewashed elevations with steel and glass, culminating with a lighthouse feature at one end giving almost 360 degree views of the coastline.

"The location combines privacy with a diverse range of breath-taking views, all set in around 3 acres, which includes a large area of foreshore, a private tidal beach area and coves."

Notable features of the house include its panoramic views and infinity pool.

It was supposed to be Edward Short's dream home - but it turned into a nightmare -Credit:SWNS
It was supposed to be Edward Short's dream home - but it turned into a nightmare -Credit:SWNS

What happened on the infamous Grand Designs episode?

The episode first aired in 2019 and quickly became known among Grand Designs fans as the 'saddest ever'. Viewers watched as Mr Short's family borrowed £500,000 from a hedge fund to finance the project, followed by another £2.5m from private investors.

Edward and Hazel Short's daughters even revealed they were holding car boot sales to raise money to contribute towards their parents' luxury dream home.

Mr Short soon found himself £7m in debt after initially planning to invest only £1.8m into the expensive project.

The Shorts embarked on an ambitious project to build a lighthouse as their dream home 12 years ago, seeking a slower pace of life than they had in London.

Their ambitious plans were even questioned by host Kevin McCloud, who was sceptical about their 18-month completion timeline.

McCloud famously opened the episode with the words: "If a lighthouse has a single message that it shouts out, it is this: 'Stay away or risk destruction'."

However, Chesil Cliff House never became the home of Mr Short and his wife.

The property's asking price has been slashed -Credit:Match Property
The property's asking price has been slashed -Credit:Match Property

What happened to owner Edward Short?

The financial cost of building Chesil Cliff House was not the only price Edward Short paid - it also cost him his 20-year marriage to Hazel.

Mr Short admits that once the project began, there was no stopping it, but he wouldn't have started if he knew it would cost him his family.

As costs spiralled and debts mounted, Mr Short said the increasing pressure ultimately led to the end of his marriage.

Speaking to The Sun last year, he confessed: "There's no doubt what I put Hazel through was horrendous. There's a lot of guilt about that.

"But there was no way out once we started. If we didn't finish we'd have been in big trouble.

"It was awful for the family because I pulled the stability rug from under them, without being able to give answers of how we were going to get out of it, other than that I had to carry on."

Mr Short has since found a new partner in nurse Jalia Nambasa, and he maintains a strong friendship with Hazel.

Chesil Cliff House is one of Grand Designs' most famous projects -Credit:SWNS
Chesil Cliff House is one of Grand Designs' most famous projects -Credit:SWNS

What are Kevin McCloud's thoughts on the project?

Earlier this year, McCloud provided an update on Chesil Cliff House, revealing that he remains in touch with Mr Short. He mentioned there is "lots of interest" in the ill-fated lighthouse.

While speaking at Grand Designs Live at London ExCel in May, he shared: "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.

"The last time I met Ed, he was nearing a deal, so that's all I know. It's a fascinating tale.

"It's a story of hubris, overreaching, and destruction, which has transformed into a narrative about redemption and growth, so it was an incredible thing.

"People called it as the final Grand Designs as if that were it, we were going to go out on a low."

Grand Designs returns to Channel 4 tonight (Wednesday, September 25) at 9pm.