A former television presenter who rescued a crumbling Victorian water tower and turned it into a Grand Designs-style family home has put the one-of-a-kind property up for sale with a £3million price tag.
Russell Harris, 68, and his wife Jannette, 56, bought the abandoned 19th-century landmark in sought-after Lymm, Cheshire, for just £138,000 in 1997 before embarking on a seven-year transformation.
The couple went on to invest more than £1million converting the 90ft tower into a dramatic contemporary residence, adding a sweeping modern extension around the original stone structure and even fitting an eight-person hot tub on the roof.
Their finished home later earned a string of prestigious architectural awards and was named by Grand Designs presenter Kevin McCloud among his top 100 projects, despite the property never featuring on the Channel 4 programme itself.
More than 20 years after Mr and Mrs Harris moved into the remarkable Cheshire home with their two children, the landmark property is now looking for a new owner.
Mr Harris, a former daytime TV presenter and producer whose credits include BBC One’s Room For Improvement and Channel 5’s I Own Britain’s Best Home, announced on the Lymm Water Tower website: ‘After more than 20 years as our much-loved family home, this extraordinary landmark is for sale.
‘This is your chance to own a genuine Grand Designs icon: a Grade II-listed Victorian water tower transformed into a spectacular, multi-award-winning contemporary home.
‘Rising five storeys above the Cheshire countryside, the original 19th century stone tower is wrapped in a bold, light-filled modern extension, creating a home that is as dramatic as it is remarkably comfortable to live in.
Former TV presenter Russell Harris is selling his converted Victorian water tower for £3million
The property has won a number of major architectural awards and was selected by Grand Designs host Kevin McCloud as one of his top 100 projects
Mr Harris, 68, and his wife Jannette, 56, spent seven years transforming the abandoned 19th century tower in Lymm, Cheshire
‘At the top, some 26 meters above ground, the original spiral staircase leads to the piece de résistance – a private roof garden and hot tub with extraordinary 360-degree views stretching across Cheshire and towards Manchester, Liverpool, the Welsh hills and the Peak District.’
He added: ‘Lymm Water Tower has been celebrated as an architectural landmark for more than two decades. But for us, it has simply been home. Now it is time for someone else to write the next chapter.’
The home provides more than 6,000sq ft of accommodation, including a double-height main bedroom, four further bedrooms, a winter lounge, home office, cinema room, gym and sauna.
Speaking previously of the rooftop terrace’s sweeping 360-degree views across Cheshire, Derbyshire, Lancashire and North Wales, Mr Harris said: ‘What I really love is taking a gin and tonic on to the roof on a Friday evening in summer.
‘You can see Manchester one way and almost as far as Liverpool the other. Six lanes of stationary traffic are usually queuing on the M6 over the Ship Canal. When I see those poor devils trying to get home, I feel thankful to be where I am.’
The next owner will also benefit from an unusual financial perk – telecommunications companies lease a small area high inside the tower, producing an established passive income of around £75,000 a year.
The Rightmove listing for the property reads: ‘In every respect, Lymm Water Tower is a remarkable proposition: a genuinely one-off architectural home, a private sanctuary with extraordinary views, and a property with an established income stream built into its unique history and infrastructure.’
The home was last put on the market in 2016 for £2.5million. However, after a proposed sale fell through, the couple removed the property from the market.
‘We were initially disappointed and upset but, in the end, it was fortuitous and we have decided to embrace what we have,’ said Mr Harris.
The public watched the transformation of the building on UKTV in a 15-part show presented by Mr Harris called Seven-Year Makeover.
In 2016 Mrs Harris said that the couple had planned to sell up to travel and ‘live for a while in their favourite part of Italy’.
She said: ‘The time has now come to sell our family home as our children have flown the nest.
‘The house is everything we dreamed of, but it’s time to move on and invest part of the capital to provide an income for our future retirement – it’s time to relax and enjoy life.’
The sales blurb on Rightmove adds: ‘A rare opportunity to acquire one of Cheshire’s most extraordinary homes: a celebrated, multi-award-winning Grade II listed water tower, transformed into an exceptional contemporary family home and architectural landmark.
‘Situated in the leafy village of Lymm, Lymm Water Tower provides 6,127 sq ft of stunningly designed accommodation, combining sophisticated architecture, exceptional craftsmanship and an extraordinary connection with its surroundings.
‘The property has won numerous architectural awards following its transformation by the current owners, including a prestigious Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) award.
The couple spent more than £1million turning the 90ft-tall landmark into a striking contemporary home, with a sweeping modern extension wrapped around the original stone tower – and an eight-person hot tub installed on the roof
‘Designed by one of Britain’s leading architectural practices, the wraparound extension follows the distinctive geometry of the original octagonal tower while carefully embracing the mature trees surrounding the site.
‘Inside, the house is an oasis of calmness. The open-plan living, dining and kitchen space is arranged over subtly changing levels to create distinct areas while retaining a remarkable sense of openness and simplicity.
‘Six-metre-high, frameless glazing and the thoughtful orientation of the accommodation allow daylight to track through the principal living spaces throughout the day.’
