One of the most famous homes ever featured on Grand Designs has gone on the market for £2.75million – a staggering £4million less than the price once sought for it.
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One → feature → it
The Victorian water tower in Kennington, south London was rescued from dereliction and converted into an incredible ten-storey des-res with sweeping views across the capital.
Its dramatic transformation was showcased in the 100th episode of the long-running Channel Four series and became one of its most talked-about renovations.
Property developer Leigh Osborne and his partner, Graham Voce, spent more than £2million turning the crumbling 100ft landmark into a luxury home – despite being advised that the conversion would cost £600,000.
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conversion → rescue → 600,000
Workers had to replace 4,000 bricks, 47 windows had to be fitted and more than 200 dead pigeons removed – along with a £7,000 bill to clear 'knee-deep' bird droppings.
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pigeons → have → droppings
The glazing alone reportedly cost £250,000, while scaffolding added another £70,000 to the bill.
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scaffolding → cost → bill
London's 'most recognisable' home has hit the property market after it was featured on Grand Designs
A derelict water tower in Kennington was converted into an incredible ten-storey des-res on the 100th episode of the Channel 4 show
A view of the terrace, fitted with lounge chairs and a hot tub, overlooking the Houses of Parliament, London Eye and the Shard
Businessman Jamie Hamer purchased the house for £2.5million in June 2021.
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Hamer → hit → June
He is seen here with his friend Susanna Citrano
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He → see → friend
As costs spiralled, Mr Osborne was forced to borrow more than £500,000 from friends to get the extraordinary project over the line.
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Osborne → spiral → line
The finished renovation – which saw a vast glass-fronted cube extension, a lift and a spectacular viewing room created at the top of its 122 steps – was labelled a 'jaw-dropping showstopper' by show host Kevin McCloud.
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which → see → McCloud
The property – purchased by Mr Osborne and Mr Voce for £380,000 in mid-2011 – has been listed for sale on Rightmove at £2.5million.
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property → purchase → 2.5million
The sales particulars describe the property as 'one of central London's most recognisable buildings'.
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particulars → describe → buildings
Yet, despite its architectural pedigree and television fame, the asking price is a far cry from the £6.5million sought by its original developers in 2013.
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price → seek → 2013
At the time, the property failed to sell and was instead marketed as a popular Airbnb before eventually being sold to businessman Jamie Hamer in June 2021 for £2.5million.
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property → fail → 2.5million
Mr Hamer, a commercial director, moved into the property with his friend Susanna Citrano, an architect, and their two dogs – and revealed that the home's Grand Designs fame meant curious fans would still turn up on the doorstep hoping for a peek inside.
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fans → move → peek
He told Rightmove in 2022: 'We often get people ringing the doorbell asking if they can take a look around.
'
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they → tell → look
Then some will ask where the buzzers for the other flats are.
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buzzers → ask → flats
They're surprised to find out it's one home.'
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it → find → ?
He also told the Evening Standard: 'I have always been fascinated by castles and this is the closest I'll get to owning one in central London.'
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I → tell → London
Mr Hamer and Susanna later added a hot tub to the terrace, which provides views of the Houses of Parliament, London Eye, the Shard, the City and Canary Wharf.
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which → add → Parliament
Susanna previously joked: 'When we first moved in, we could never find each other so would WhatsApp, "Which floor are you on?"'
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you → joke → floor
She added: 'We ended up putting different pieces of art on each stairwell so we knew where we were, as we kept getting lost.'
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we → add → stairwell
The tower, which dates from 1867, originally served the neighbouring Lambeth Workhouse and contained a tank which held 38,000 gallons of water.
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which → date → water
Among those who spent time there was a young Charlie Chaplin, who stayed at the workhouse with his impoverished mother as a child.
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who → spend → child
The property, now being marketed by DDRE Global, is arranged with six bedrooms and four bathrooms across its many levels.
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property → market → levels
The estate agents said in the sales blurb: 'Rescued from dereliction and converted under the eye of Kevin McCloud for Grand Designs' 100th episode, it is now a remarkable family-sized home that pairs Victorian engineering with contemporary design.
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that → say → design
The accommodation unfolds vertically, linked by an original Yorkstone staircase and a separate lift tower with glazed bridges.
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accommodation → unfold → bridges
Five double bedrooms and four bathrooms are arranged across the tower's floors, each with its own character, thick masonry walls and tall arched windows.
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bedrooms → arrange → character
At ground level, a glass and steel extension known as the Cube provides lateral living space.
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extension → know → space
It holds an open-plan kitchen and reception room with full-height sliding glass doors, and a roof terrace sits above.
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terrace → hold → doors
'The crowning feature is the Prospect Room, created within the original cast-iron water tank.
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feature → crown → tank
With openings on every side, it frames panoramic views across Westminster, the London Eye, the City, the Shard and Canary Wharf, making it a living or dining space without equal in the capital.'
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it → frame → capital
The Aporia
