Grand Designs viewers were left gobsmacked at an enormous ‘sculpture’ of a house which was granted planning permission in the middle of idyllic countryside.
The first episode of the new series followed super-car loving Joe and his wife Claire as they attempted to build a 70-metre-long zinc and glass structure to house them and their children.
The project also came with an enormous garage to house Joe’s fleet of expensive cars, designed in the same futuristic style as the house.
Viewers were initially left stunned that the project, which was in the midst of green, open space, was granted planning permission in the first place.
They tweeted: ‘How the hell did that monstrosity get planning permission?!? I feel for their neighbours’ and ‘If you’re a property developer, does that help when you want planning to build a carbuncle on top of a hill in an area of outstanding natural beauty?’
Others added: ‘That house should absolutely not have had planning permission granted. No poise. Adds nothing. Far from outstanding. Reckon he was owed a favour’ and ‘How did they get planning? I feel sorry for the homeowners directly behind the 7m high shards of zinc. They have completely lost their view.’
One commented on the design: ‘The VAST difference between these grand old mansions/stately homes of the past is they stand the test of time, 100’s of yrs later ppl visit them as attractions in their own right. Can’t say the same of these modernist warehouses/airport terminals on #GrandDesigns these days.’
As is the norm on Grand Designs, the project ended up taking a lot longer and costing vastly more than originally planned when the build hit a series of problems.
Joe had initially planned to spend £825,000 and around six months on building the mega-mansion, but the final cost ran to £2.5million and took over four years to complete,
Many obstacles came up as the build progressed, with the timber frame – which was planned to be cut to perfection and put together like flat-pack furniture – having to be cut to size by hand on site, to the project having to be put on pause entirely when the coronavirus pandemic hit.
Host Kevin McCloud also pointed out some crucial design flaws in the blueprints mid-construction, such as the showers being located at the opposite end of the complex from the gym as well as the bin store being outside the bedrooms rather than the kitchen.
However, the couple did manage to finish off their ambitious design against all odds, and proudly showed off the stylish interior which lay within the grey shard-like exterior.
The focal point of their home was the kitchen, which ended up costing and astronomical £125,000 to have made bespoke.
Viewers were flabbergasted at the cost, tweeting: ‘This #granddesigns is absolutely obscene. No one needs a house as big & expensive as this! £125k for a kitchen? Ridiculous’ and ‘just one sink in a £125k kitchen??? Could have stretched to a double sink for practicality.’
Others added: ‘£825k original budget. They’ve spent £125k on the kitchen. Can’t even enjoy the ridiculousness because it’s so obscene’ and ‘£125,000 kitchen? WTF? That’s more than some peoples homes!’
Grand Designs airs Wednesdays from 9pm on Channel 4.
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