Grand Designs fans feel sorry for neighbour who 'looked out of bird cage' for years
Watch Grand Designs fans feel sorry for neighbour who 'looked out of bird cage' for years
Grand Designs' viewers were left feeling sorry for the "poor neighbour" Vic who felt like he was looking out of a bird cage for years.
It's an exciting start to the 25th series of the Channel 4 show. Zahid and Ferzana, from Leeds, set out to transform an old coastguard's house that was at the end of Victorian terrace houses on the East Yorkshire coast.
Neighbour Vic was incredibly supportive at the beginning even though, as presenter Kevin McCloud pointed out, "the structural integrity" of his home would rely on the project being done well because of the two properties shared a wall. Playfully in the beginning, the neighbour - who was once a coastguard - jested: "If it falls down there will be trouble!"
Read more
There were hopes the project would be wrapped in 10 months but it faced many hurdles along the way meaning it extended for a further five years, including an issue with planning permission that saw the project shut down completely.
Initially Zahid applied for a conversion but the shared wall with his neighbour was the only remaining thing from the old coastguard house so he had to apply for a new planning request which was later given the green light.
Social media was awash with Grand Designs viewers sharing their sympathy for the neighbour. Among the comments, one said: "That neighbour must have the patience of a saint because I’d have killed them after two years. #granddesigns."
What, how and why?
Once the house is completed and McCloud has spoken with the family, he headed to the neighbour's house. "This project has not been without its negative impacts, it's been tough on next door," he said in the voiceover.
"How are things Vic?" McCloud asked him as they meet over the neighbouring fence. "Now that you've got a building up against your wall."
The neighbour made the shocking admission he felt like he had been looking out of a birdcage. He said: "Well I'm damn glad to see the back of the scaffold. Peering through the birdcage almost, front and back of the houses."
The presenter shared his sympathy, saying: "I think you've been quite tolerant."
After all the set backs and drama, Vic celebrated the house completion. He enthused: "He's built! He's done!"
In the voiceover, McCloud acknowledged once again how tough it had been on the neighbour. He said: "It's all still too raw for Vic. Time may heal things."
Right at the beginning of the project, the Grand Designs presenter had tried to warn the neighbour telling him: "The disruption to you... You've got to brace yourself."
But the neighbour had remained positive about the upcoming project that would overrun for years. He told him at the time: "I want something done with it before it gets any worse."
What did Grand Designs' viewers say?
Everyone was talking about how incredibly sorry they felt for the neighbour during the course of the build. Among the comments, one wrote: "This episode was completely spoilt by the lack of consideration shown for the neighbour who was amazingly supportive at the beginning despite the obvious risk to his own home. I was shocked when they revealed he only had permission for a renovation to begin with. #GrandDesigns."
Another added: "#GrandDesigns I really feel for the neighbour …."
Someone wrote: "This is an absolute disaster! The bloke hasn't really got a clue has he considering his job. Not fitting in with the countryside either, although the views are amazing! Feel for his neighbour looking at a frame for 2 years! #granddesigns."
Another said: "Lovely house but the poor neighbour, he was so enthusiastic at the beginning too."
A viewer said: "#GrandDesigns 5 years! I really feel for the poor Neighbour. There should be timelines in place with the planning and he should have been compensated. He does look miffed. And 375k…I’m sure That will have been through the books….."
Someone said: "The poor neighbour and neighbours, ugly secluded building completely out of character, steals all their light towering over them."
Another suggested: "Can we send the neighbour on a holiday i feel like ĥe could use it poor man #granddesigns."
This article originally appeared on Yahoo TV UK at https://uk.news.yahoo.com/grand-designs-sorry-neighbour-birdcage-091148479.html
