Kevin McCloud updates on Grand Designs' 'saddest house ever' that's still awaiting sale

The luxury property in Croyde, Devon was plagued with issues while it was being built and it was dubbed 'the saddest house ever' - and now it remains unsold after being put on the market

Kevin McCloud has provided fresh insight into the property known as Grand Designs' 'saddest house ever'.

Chesil Cliff House, located in Croyde, Devon, is now up for sale, years after it was built on Grand Designs. After a series of setbacks during its construction, owner Edward Short faced a collapsed marriage and towering debts of £7million.

Kevin McCloud, speaking exclusively with us, offered an update. He said: "As far as I know, it's still on the market. Ed is in neutral waiting for that to happen. He's very busy."

He continued to reflect on Edward's journey, noting: "I don't think he's suffering in the way he was. When we did a revisit to that project, and the original was about overreaching, to an extent he was far more humble about it and there was a degree of resolution I guess. That's the best way of describing it."

The host expressed hope that Edward's experiences might resonate far beyond property development.

"Ed's story shows if you screw up, it's not the end of the world. Only the end of the world is the end of the world and everything else can be dealt with," he poignantly remarked.

Kevin commented on the broader perspective offered by the series, citing more severe personal tragedies featured on the show. He said: "It was a sad story but we've got people with terminal cancer and people who lost partners sometimes during the filming process, and you come to realise the problems they face - not having enough money, being in by Christmas - these are all not important.

"They're huge in the moment but when you're dealing with a life threatening illness and it's going to knock years off their time here, actually there are far more important things on the planet to deal with."

The property is thought to still be currently on the market, billed as a "once in a lifetime opportunity" for a single buyer.

The listing describes it as: "The property represents a once in a lifetime opportunity to take on and finish the specification and fit out one of the UK's most spectacularly situated coastal homes.

"The bespoke design has been brought to life through impressive engineering, with the building being anchored to the bed rock, blending whitewashed elevations with steel and glass, culminating with a lighthouse feature at one end giving almost 360 degree views of the coastline. The location combines privacy with a diverse range of breath-taking views, all set in around 3 acres, which includes a large area of foreshore, a private tidal beach area and coves."

The strain of the property build and escalating costs ultimately led to the end of Edward's 20-year marriage to Hazel.

Kevin McCloud was speaking ahead of Grand Designs Live at NEC Birmingham, the UK’s premier home and design exhibition, taking place from 2-6 October.