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Original poster

Why did this property need a lift??

54 replies

xyz111 · 20/08/2023 21:02

Just watched an episode of Grand Designs. The house was built with a small ground floor, but then it was up on a stilt, so the main living area was on the 1st floor and in the air (really hard to describe!!!) there was a lift installed from the ground floor to the first floor. Kevin commented on it and the guy said they had to install in because of planning regulations.
Does anyone know what these planning regulations are? Why has he had to put a lift in his house when he doesn't need it himself??

OP posts:
Original poster
xyz111 · 20/08/2023 21:03

Here's a pic...

Why did this property need a lift??
OP posts:
Thelondonone · 20/08/2023 21:04

Some councils require wheelchair access for planning. They have a target.

TicTacNicNak · 20/08/2023 21:08

I don't know the answer but maybe it's to do with the main living quarters being on the upper floor, so that it is accessible for anyone mobility impaired?

TicTacNicNak · 20/08/2023 21:08

And as an aside, that is a weird and ugly building.

ditalini · 20/08/2023 21:24

Yes it'll be accessibility rules. Same reason houses need downstairs toilets.

ditalini · 20/08/2023 21:26

In fact, maybe it's to get round NOT having a downstairs toilet if the ground floor is very small?

Baconking · 20/08/2023 21:26

Is this a new series? I thought I'd seen them all but don't recognise that house

FictionalCharacter · 20/08/2023 21:30

TicTacNicNak · 20/08/2023 21:08

And as an aside, that is a weird and ugly building.

Isn’t it?! Absolutely hideous.

Clymene · 20/08/2023 21:30

What a hideous hideous thing. The lift is the least of its problems

Original poster
xyz111 · 20/08/2023 21:31

Baconking · 20/08/2023 21:26

Is this a new series? I thought I'd seen them all but don't recognise that house

I think so, it was on Channel 4 at 9pm tonight

OP posts:
Original poster
xyz111 · 20/08/2023 21:31

So would that mean that even new town houses would now need a lift??

OP posts:
ThomasHardyPerennial · 20/08/2023 21:50

Pretty sure it's not a new episode, have seen it before.

TarantinoIsAMisogynist · 20/08/2023 21:54

I can't believe someone could look at that building, and the main question they'd ask themselves was, "Why does it have a lift?"

There are so many, many questions about the building in that picture....

Tiespin · 20/08/2023 21:55

This house is for sale at the moment

Original poster
xyz111 · 20/08/2023 21:59

TarantinoIsAMisogynist · 20/08/2023 21:54

I can't believe someone could look at that building, and the main question they'd ask themselves was, "Why does it have a lift?"

There are so many, many questions about the building in that picture....

Oh yes we had lots of other opinions too!

OP posts:
CrispsnDips · 20/08/2023 21:59

If this house is for sale, I’m just going to have a nosey at Rightmove 😃

I am not sure whether I was too fond of the owner, never mind the house …

Original poster
xyz111 · 20/08/2023 22:00

Tiespin · 20/08/2023 21:55

This house is for sale at the moment

That's a shame. The man who built it wanted to see out his days there

OP posts:
Original poster
xyz111 · 20/08/2023 22:02

CrispsnDips · 20/08/2023 21:59

If this house is for sale, I’m just going to have a nosey at Rightmove 😃

I am not sure whether I was too fond of the owner, never mind the house …

We only caught the 2nd half, so missed the back story of why he wanted it to look like that in the first place..

OP posts:
Hobbes8 · 20/08/2023 22:07

I don’t understand the point of the weird structure. Surely the space underneath the 1st floor is only ever going to be dark and horrible and nothing will grow there. I don’t know much about building but I presume it would have been easier to make it a standard 2 storey house. Does the show explain why they made such tricksy design decisions? It doesn’t seem either practical or aesthetic?

ohcrums · 20/08/2023 22:09

TicTacNicNak · 20/08/2023 21:08

I don't know the answer but maybe it's to do with the main living quarters being on the upper floor, so that it is accessible for anyone mobility impaired?

I imagine it's this

Strictlyfanoftenyears · 20/08/2023 22:30

anyone got a link to rightmove?

Lorelaigilless · 20/08/2023 22:33

Can’t find it myself, please someone who has, share the Rightmove link

ItLooksLikeChickenSoItMustBeChicken · 20/08/2023 22:34

That's a hideous house.

Iclyn · 20/08/2023 22:38

The man lived in Spain then divorced . Came back to Essex to be near his daughter , bought land on a flood zone so it was built so that that land could almost be submerged. Took longer than expected ( as always )
Kevin didn't like the end result / decorations and as others have said it is now on the market.

JeromeKJerome · 20/08/2023 22:48

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/133811588