Gary Neville’s £8m Teletubbies house left eerily abandoned following neighbor ’outrage’
Gary Neville, celebrating his 50th birthday today, was thrilled with his £8 million eco-property, featuring a 130ft wind turbine. However, the people of Bolton were less impressed, labeling the uniq.
Footballing legend Gary Neville is celebrating his milestone 50th birthday, but there’s one dream that he sadly never got to fulfil.
In 2010, the former Manchester United captain, who grew up in the neighbouring town of Bury, dreamt up his vision of a futuristic carbon-neutral mansion, to be built on land off Harry Fold Farm in the Greater Manchester suburb. The £8m property was quickly dubbed the Teletubbies house - and it wasn’t without its controversy.
Gary was keen on a petal-shaped design for his dream home, which he intended to have build beneath the earth, with a grassy, splar panelled roof. With the open plan kitchen as the centrepiece, offshoots resembling the shape of a flower would contain bedrooms, bathrooms, a garage, a children’s play area and a swimming pool.
The idea was years in the making, with Gary and wife Emma Hadfield putting painstaking efforts into the unique family home they’d hoped to live in with daughters, Mollie and Sophie. However, not everybody in the area was too keen on the idea, which some likening the design to the hilly property famously lived in by Tinky Winky, Dipsy, La La, and Po.
The England defender turned pundit’s application was referred Communities Secretary Eric Pickles, given that the proposed site was on greenbelt land. Following a lengthy row with neighbours, Gary eventually received planning permission for the futuristic five-bedroom moorland house from councillors in Bolton, who had previously refused. Gary was able to push through to this stage only after ditching plans to build a 130ft wind turbine.
Speaking of his joy at the time, Gary said: "I am obviously delighted that the Secretary of State has decided to allow Bolton Council to issue its decision to grant our planning permission.
"After sensibly allowing the dust to settle, my professional team will continue their detailed design work and I can then look forward to building this exciting home."
Unfortunately for Gary, his dream never became a reality. The land sat empty for several years before building work was finally abandoned in 2017. The football star initially put the 8,000 square foot plot on the market in 2020 for £650,000, with his eco-friendly plans still included. He ultimately had to lower his asking price to £500,000.
The plot was advertised as being "a substantial development opportunity to create a distinct family home, nestling in a sought after rural setting enjoying privacy and seclusion". The ad continues: "The residence will be a significant undertaking harnessing the latest concepts in architectural and environmental design.
"Extending to 8,000 sq ft with accommodation set over two floors, the house will be set in large gardens and grounds extending to around five acres. The property is close to sought after village settings of Harwood, Edgworth and Bromley Cross. Bolton, Bury and Manchester are within easy reach and the train station at Bromley Cross is a short drive away."
The Mail Online reports that Gary abandoned the ambitious project out of fear of "alienating" his furious neighbours. This comes after Gary opened up to the Times about turning 50, revealing: "I did say that when I turned 50 I wanted to be more laser-focused and have a more singular role. I think I’m probably three or four years behind where I thought I would be, in terms of my development. And I’m not sure what that role is yet. But I’m enjoying this, no doubt."
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
