2 weeks Ago By Sasha Morris
The latest instalment of Grand Designs took an unexpected twist when a renovation project was abruptly halted. The beloved Channel 4 programme, hosted by Kevin McCloud, returned on Wednesday evening (April 2), featuring an ambitious project undertaken by couple Sarah and Pip. The duo invested £450k in a 150 year old Bedfordshire barn desperately in need of refurbishment.
Despite its condition, they were resolute in maintaining its original allure while converting it into a stylish, contemporary dwelling. Kevin characterised the endeavour as one that "should come with a health warning", even cautioning the pair that they "don't have enough money" to complete it. Their initial budget of £420k was quickly surpassed.
However, their journey encountered a roadblock when an archaeologist halted construction due to a "mistake". An 18th or 19th-century glass bottle was unearthed during their inspection, according to Devon Live. The situation worsened with the arrival of an inspector from Historic England, who ceased the excavation.
The couple's builder subsequently contacted Pip to discuss consent for digging in the area, reports Wales Online . It emerged that they had committed a significant oversight by not securing the required consent. Sarah confessed: "It's very serious, so of course I'm panicked.
" As she detailed the situation, "It is a legal requirement for us to follow the right process, if we don't, they can fine you up to £10,000. We obviously don't want that." Consequently, the renovation was put on hold.
Later in the episode, Kevin made his way to the site to learn more about the couple's predicament. Fortunately, they had managed to get things back on track. Sharing the ordeal with the host, Pip confessed: "It was terrifying, it was pretty upsetting.
" In their discussion, Kevin asked: "Did they accept that it was a genuine mistake?" Pip replied: "Yeah, I think the fact we had an archaeologist here proved the fact we weren't trying to cover things up. So they got the agreements sorted quickly." By the end of the show, Pip and Sarah were thrilled to showcase their finished project, revealing that their expenses totalled £540k, which was £120k over their initial budget.
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