Grand Designs Lighthouse finally sells after 12 years
The lighthouse had been having renovations for 12-years and became famous after it went several million pounds over budget
The Grand Designs Lighthouse was one of the most emotional and famous episodes of the show ever.
Since the curtain fell, the story has continued as this multi-million pound investment rolled on in its bid to find an owner.
For now at least, it appears the story is over, as the Grand Designs Lighthouse has been sold.
The lighthouse had been having renovations for 12-years and became famous after it went several million pounds over budget.
It was hit by the recession, ultimately costing owner Edward Short his marriage – and billing it the saddest Grand Designs episode ever.
The property in Croyde, Devon, is five bedrooms and went back up for sale in 2024 for £5.25 million and has now been sold.
Previously there had been rumours that Harry Styles and Michael Jackson’s former bodyguard, Matt Fiddes, were interested in purchasing the property, but no deal ever emerged.
Edward told media outlets on August 19, 2025 that he is relieved the property has sold and joked that he will still buy a lottery ticket with the dream of buying it back.
“It is definitely the closure of a long chapter of my life – there is no doubt about that.
“I mentally moved on from the property a while ago as the writing was on the wall.”
He said he still looks at his time on Grand Designs and building the property with fond memories: “I do look back at lots of elements of building that house that I enjoyed. There were amazing moments, and that never leaves you.”
What happened to the Grand Designs Lighthouse?
The Grand Designs Lighthouse episode aired on our screens in 2019, but the real work began much earlier than that, in 2008.
Edward and his wife Hazel bought a 1950s clifftop home above two rocky coves in North Devon with the view to bringing up their two daughters there.
But the family felt the style of house failed to match the dramatic setting, deciding to knock it down and replace it with a modernist mansion instead.
Planning approval was granted in 2010, and the couple planned to pay for it through borrowing and lending.
However, when the financial crash hit, the bank refused to lend them the £1.8 million they needed.
Saving the day?
A solution was found in May 2014, when Edward borrowed £500,000 from a hedge fund, enabling him to build a three-bedroom detached home called The Eye.
This was at the edge of the plot, with the plan being to borrow against it to fund the Grand Designs lighthouse project.
It worked in a sense. He was able to secure a loan of £2.5 million from private investors, this was more than originally planned but the costs were skyrocketing.
The new plan was to sell The Eye to help with spiralling costs.
However, this failed as it had a reduced value due to what was now a hazardous building site. As a result, in 2018 the project was stalled, leaving the family with £4 million in debt, and Edward and Hazel separated.
But, all was not completely lost. It took two years to agree new terms, but Edward was able to settle the debt and raise new funds with work restarting in April 2020.
The house was completed, along with The Eye (which cost £1 million to build), and the lighthouse went up for sale in the summer of 2022 for £10 million.
Selling The Lighthouse
It was then closed to being purchased before the mystery buyer pulled out. Later it was put back onto the market and had been split into two, with the main house being offered for £7.5 million, and the adjacent beach development, The Eye available for £2.5 million.
The property was listed again in February 2023 but didn’t sell.
Then in late 2024, the five-bedroom Lighthouse home was back on the market listed by Savills on behalf of joint receivers, at a knockdown price of £5.25 million.
It’s certainly the end of a Grand Designs era, but definitely one we can look back at with fond memories.
Rewatch the Grand Designs Lighthouse episode here
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