Owner of luxury lighthouse on ‘saddest ever’ Grand Designs episode slashes price by £1m in desperate bid to sell it after it took 10 years to build and cost him his marriage
- Edward Short had wanted £7.5 million for his grand five bedroom clifftop home
The owner of the luxury property which featured in the ‘saddest ever’ episode of TV’s Grand Designs has slashed its price by £1 million in a desperate bid to sell it.
Edward Short had wanted £7.5 million for his magnificent five bedroom clifftop home which includes entertainment terraces, an infinity pool and a private beach cove.
But his guide price for the art-deco styled house set in 2.8 acres of grounds with stunning panoramic sea views has now been reduced to £6.5 million.
The price reduction is the latest in a string of setbacks to befall the ill-fated property called Chesil Cliff House which was blamed in part for the collapse of Mr Short’s marriage.
The music industry executive and his wife Hazel had put their life savings into building their fantasy eco-friendly home as an idyllic place to give their two children a fabulous childhood.
The lighthouse property in Croyde has been slashed in price by £1 million in a desperate bid to sell it
Developer Ed Short pictured previously outside the property, which left him in debt to the tune of £7 million
But more than ten years on, the spiralling cost of the ambitious building project saw the collapse of their marriage with Mr Short forced to borrow money to complete it.
The property with its triple-glazed floor-to-ceiling windows and four storey tower, replicating the light house which was once on the site, featured on Grand Designs in 2019 when it was still unfinished.
Viewers dubbed it as the ‘saddest ever’ episode of the Channel 4 show after presenter Kevin McCloud described it as ‘the bare bones of a house and more like a desolate carcass’.
The show told how the family were hit by spiralling building costs and had been forced to borrow £500,000 from a hedge fund, followed by another £2.5m from private investors in 2016.
The loan was for a smaller house built first, next to the main development, so that Mr Short could secure a larger loan for the big house overlooking Croyde Bay, Devon At one stage, the Shorts’ daughters said they were even holding car boot sales to raise money for their family’s new dream home.
Mr Short was forced to put his home on the market after he was left £7 million in debt and trying to fight off bankruptcy as he struggled to repay loans and his 12 year marriage ended.
Repeated efforts to find a buyer came to nothing, adding to the property’s unfortunate reputation, despite estate agents describing it as ‘one of the UK’s finest waterfront homes’.
Last year Grand Designs revisited the property in a special episode which led to viewers branding it an ‘eyesore’ in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty as well as a ‘waste of money’.
In a further indictment of the negativity around the property, Mr Short’s daughters even confessed that they were ‘over’ the project.
The large property has stunning sea views but will set a buyer back by £6.5million
The property has had buyers interested on multiple occasions, only to have the sale fall through
MailOnline told this week how singer Michael Jackson’s former bodyguard Matt Fiddes has spoken out about his failed bid for the property
Mr Fiddes, who left school at 16 with just £100 to his name and worked in Croyde as a lifeguard, said he wanted to purchase the house as a mark of his success
The rambling house on a rugged stretch of the Devon coastline was up for sale for seven months before being taken off the market by Knight Frank in February this year when it was suggested that a potential ‘serious buyer’ was being lined up.
But the sale failed to materialise, and it was revealed in June that the rambling property was going back on the market after effectively being split in two to create separate homes.
The main house was marketed again with a guide price of £7.5 million while its adjacent three bedroom annexe called The Eye was put up for sale separately for £2.5 million.
MailOnline told this week how singer Michael Jackson’s former bodyguard Matt Fiddes has spoken out about his failed bid for the property.
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Mr Fiddes, 44, who runs a martial arts company worth a reported £120 million, had his multi-million pound offer for Chesil Cliff House rejected in 2022.
He hit back at claims by Mr Short that he was ‘a time waster’, saying he still wanted to buy the property if it was at ‘a realistic price.’
Mr Fiddes said: ‘He should have taken my offer as I would have turned one section into luxury apartments and the other into an Airbnb.
‘If it does come on sale for a realistic price I will buy it but not as it is right now as he’s (Mr Short) flogging a dead horse.’
Mr Fiddes, who left school at 16 with just £100 to his name and worked in Croyde as a lifeguard, said he wanted to purchase the house as a mark of his success.
He explained: ‘I see this as an achievement stamp for me. I had a painful time in Croyde when I was younger because I was evicted.
‘But this property is five minutes away from my first rental when I moved out from my mum and dad’s in Swindon. I have memories of planning my business and my dreams in Croyde so we’ve come full circle.’
Mr Short now plans to marry his fiancée Jalia Nambasa next summer after they met through online dating.
Estate agent Knight Frank boast that Chesil Cliff House has ‘far-reaching sea views from every room
The sales particulars add that ‘privacy is paramount’ with the ‘spectacular’ property having a discreet private driveway
At one point it was rumoured that pop star Harry Styles was interested in buying the property, but the reports were later denied
Mr Short previously said: ‘These past ten years have been a marathon slog – and I have got used to being a millionaire in debt’
The couple are currently living at her house in Bath, but he hopes to buy another property for them near Devon.
Estate agent Knight Frank boast that Chesil Cliff House has ‘far-reaching sea views from every room including a ‘storm room at the top of the exceptional lighthouse feature’.
They describe it as being ‘the perfect property to enjoy watching the sunsets, the dramatic storms and the surfers on Down End Point’.
The sales particulars add that ‘privacy is paramount’ with the ‘spectacular’ property having a discreet private driveway and ‘offering total seclusion’ with planning permission for a helipad in the grounds.
The details add: ‘Chesil Cliff House has been finished as an exciting blank canvas, giving the new owner the opportunity to design their own interior fit out.
‘The ingenious design has been meticulously brought to life through impressive engineering that ensures the house is anchored to the bed rock, and using the finest quality materials with a unique lighthouse feature at one end giving almost 360 degree views of the coastline.
‘Unusually for a waterfront home, Chesil Cliff House has around 2.8 acres of grounds which include a large area of foreshore and a private beach area with coves. First impressions are outstanding.
‘The entrance is on the first floor where the reception hall and sitting room gives access to the three bedrooms on this floor. The principal bedroom is of particular note, with an outstanding view over the infinity pool and out to sea.
‘There is a dressing area and luxuriously spacious en suite bathroom with space for a large bath, double shower and double basin. Also on this floor is a circular guest bedroom with en suite shower and panoramic views.
‘The ground floor contains the principal living areas of the house including a large kitchen area, forming the heart of the house and ready to be fitted out.
‘The views are incredible and steps lead down to the dining room in the circular section of the house, with double height ceiling, floor to ceiling windows and floor to ceiling glazed doors that lead out to the terrace, perfect for spring and summer al fresco entertaining.
‘There is access to the breath-taking infinity pool and surrounding terrace to the front. Beyond the kitchen area is the living room, positioned to take advantage of the views through the floor to ceiling windows and sliding doors leading to the infinity pool.
‘The numerous curves throughout the building provide various areas to stop and enjoy the view whilst walking through the brilliantly bright circulation spaces. Sources close to the sale of the property have stated that Mr Short remains confident that he will be able to find a buyer.
One local said: recently: ‘The lighthouse has become so famous now we get people from all over the country driving down just to take a look at it along the coast road. It just seems jinxed.’
At one point it was rumoured that pop star Harry Styles was interested in buying the property, but the reports were later denied.
Mr Short previously said: ‘These past ten years have been a marathon slog – and I have got used to being a millionaire in debt. I’ve accepted the only way forward is to finish and sell it.
‘I had no idea it would end up costing so much but I’ve accepted now that I’m never going to be able to live in it because I have money I need to pay back.
‘It was my overconfidence and arrogance that got me here in the first place so I’m doing what I need to do.’
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