Abandoned reservoir filmed for Grand Designs going under hammer for £600,000
An underground reservoir featured in the hit series Grand Designs is going under the hammer - after its project failed to get off the ground.
The site in Staffordshire was supposed to be transformed into an architectural wonder for Kevin McCloud's Channel 4 show after producers visited for filming. Foundations had already been laid for a luxury property on Ridley Reservoir after it was given the green light in 2019.
A blueprint for the incredible home drew up plans for four bedrooms, a swimming pool, a cinema and a roof terrace. Since being given the go-ahead, the owner has managed to lay its foundations and excavate a driveway.
But now it seems the ambitious project was unable to come to fruition despite the interests of Kevin McCloud's team, and will go to auction later this month. A previous attempt to sell the unfinished dream property with a £850,000 price tag was unsuccessful, and this time it's going for a guide price of £600,000.
While costing more than double the average house price in the UK, the 8,000 squared meter plot could become a dream home worth seven figures. The main catch however is the new owner will have to finish building it themselves.
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After a year’s worth of ground work, the property now needs a new owner (Auction House Cheshire, Staffordshire & Shropshire /TriangleNews)North London estate agent Jeremy Leaf said: "Given the background of the property, it has received a lot more publicity than it would otherwise have done but if you are considering buying, you shouldn't let any of that cloud your judgement. The usual rules apply in terms of going into any purchase with your eyes open and making sure you check it out from all angles before the hammer comes down.
"As with any auction, if you successfully bid on the day, then you are committed to the purchase and any problems that subsequently arise with the property are yours to deal with. With regard to structural issues and utilities, the water connection sounds dubious, to say the least.
"But then if everything is working as it should and passes those tests, the awareness that has been generated around the property could considerably enhance its eventual value and saleability when the work is done. It definitely has the rizz factor but it probably isn't for the faint-hearted."
The reservoir property goes to auction online on Monday, January 22 at 1pm, and will be open to bidders for 24 hours. Although technically in Staffordshire, the site is on the edge of Cheshire market town Alsager. Ridley Reservoir was decommissioned in the 1960s. The site backs onto the nearby Alsager golf course and is surrounded by idyllic countryside.
Estate agents Auction House, which is handling the sale, described it as "an amazing Grand Designs opportunity". They said: "This is a project for someone with great vision, boasting over 8,000 square meters of property. Set in a rural part of Alsager with extensive views, it has development potential perfect for a builder/developer or homeowner looking for their family home to make their own."
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