Grand Designs to reveal fate of ‘saddest ever property’ that ruined marriage and lost millions

The “saddest ever” build to feature on Grand Designs is to be revisited in a special episode marking the show’s 25th anniversary.

Chesil Cliff House in Devon broke viewers’ hearts after it began as an ambitious project for owner Edward Short, but ultimately it proved more complicated than he could have ever anticipated due to its clifftop location.

In the end, the property left him in not only a state of financial ruin but also destroyed his marriage.

Despite repeatedly being put up for sale at increasingly reduced prices, it has seemingly failed to find a buyer although it has had interest from the likes of Harry Styles.

The build first featured on the show back in 2019, and the almost-complete property has remained empty for the past 12 years.

Host Kevin McCloud said in the introduction to the fateful episode: “If a lighthouse has a single message that it shouts out, it is this: ‘Stay away – or risk destruction’.”

Channel 4 said of the special episode: “Featuring the most ambitious builds and touching human dramas, with the biggest budget overspends, and disastrous delays thrown into the mix, this special will celebrate a true Channel 4 gem in its momentous anniversary year.”

The property was most recently listed for sale for £5.25 million, despite originally being listed for £10 million when it was first put up for sale in 2022.

Impressive features of the five-bedroom house include its panoramic views and infinity pool.

The Savills’s listing for Chesil Cliff House, which appears to no longer be on the market, read: “The property represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take on and finish the specification and fit out of 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 bedrock, blending whitewashed elevations with steel and glass, culminating with a lighthouse feature at one end giving almost 360-degree views of the coastline.

“The position 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.”

Chesil Cliff House ultimately had to be pile-driven to prevent it from falling into the sea, contributing to its mammoth cost that left Mr Short millions of pounds in debt.

The former music industry sales executive later told The Sun: “There’s no doubt what I put [my wife] 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.”

Ian Dunkley, Channel 4 commissioner, said: “The 25th-anniversary is a testament to Grand Designs and the team behind it. For a generation the show has engaged audiences with the captivating stories of real people taking huge risks on innovative, sustainable and sometimes eccentric designs.

“Grand Designs continues to be a much-loved Channel 4 show and we are proud to announce a new series with a 25th-anniversary special.”

The anniversary episode will be aired by Channel 4 on 11 September.