Plan hit by ‘curse of Grand Designs’
Developer must reapply to build home
HOMES: A developer says the “curse of GrandDesigns” has struck after being told he had to reapply for planning permission after knocking down a former coastguard station on Flamborough Head.
Zahid Iqbal got permission two years ago for “alterations and extensions” to turn the station into a holiday home.
A DEVELOPER says the “curse of Grand Designs” has struck after being told he had to reapply for planning permission after knocking down a former coastguard station on Flamborough Head.
Wetherby businessman Zahid Iqbal got permission two years ago for “alterations and extensions” to turn the station into a stunning holiday home.
The transformation of the property – which sits between the old and new lighthouses – is being filmed for the hugely popular Channel 4 TV series Grand Designs, presented by Kevin McCloud.
Mr Iqbal was told to reapply to East Riding Council after the station was “demolished in its entirety” earlier this year.
The property is at the end of a row of terraced cottages built in 1940 to accommodate Coastguard personnel, but was much altered in the late 20th century to create a building on four levels.
It had a main lookout on the second floor and above it an open roof terrace with views over a golf course, to the cliffs of Flamborough and the North Sea beyond.
In a report to a planning committee meeting on June 29, the council’s conservation officer said it was “disappointing that all that would have remained of the existing coastguard station has been demolished, rather than being retained and converted”.
The report states: “This application seeks permission to rectify the current breach of planning control and seeks permission for the erection of a new dwelling on the site.”
Mr Iqbal, who bought the building at auction for £170,000 said there was no difference between the set of plans which had been approved in 2018 and the latest plans going to committee.
He said: “If you look at the current plans and those that were passed they are identical. There is not one millimetre difference.
“As far as we are concerned we are doing exactly what we said. It was obvious we were taking down three sides and only the party wall would be staying up.
“It is purely semantics. It was a genuine mistake on everybody’s part. What it says in planning is a renovation – building control says this is a new building.
“The (original) plans showed it was 80 per cent taken down – there was only the party wall. Luckily it didn’t get ugly because everybody realised it was an error and nothing had been done intentionally.”
He added: “Grand Designs is filming it – I said: ‘It’s your curse – something always goes wrong’.
“Kevin is a lovely guy. We have only had him up the once and he really loved the setting, he loved the building and said this is going to be something amazing.”
The proposal is to replace the station with an ultra modern three-storey building, with extensive glass to the south and east sides to take advantage of the views to the sea.
The plans are being recommended for approval by planners, who say the new dwelling “would visually appear the same as the approved conversion”. There have been no objections.
It is purely semantics. It was a genuine mistake on everybody’s part. Wetherby businessman Zahid Iqbal on the wording of the application.