Just 20 months ago if you were strolling down one of the poshest streets in one of Wales' most sought-after coastal towns there was a house that would have stopped you in your tracks for all the wrong reasons. A walk down the tree-lined Westbourne Road at the beginning of 2021, one of the most expensive suburban addresses in the Vale of Glamorgan that regularly appears on lists of Wales' most expensive streets, would have treated you to views of handsome Victorian houses — until you got to number 21.
Sadly, the seven-bedroom house had not just fallen into disrepair, it was uninhabitable and in a state from which it appeared there could be no return, battered by the elements, with massive holes in the roof and a large section of the facade missing. The windows were rotten, some didn't even have glass in them, and working guttering and downpipes were absent from most of the building or in a desperate state. The garden was totally overgrown.
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Inside, the house was still full of personal items and stepping inside was like stepping back in time to the exact moment the owner left. But as you progressed through the house the condition of this once-glorious Victorian villa slid further into a derelict state. This continued on the two upper floors where the bedrooms and bathroom were found. Again there was furniture from past decades littered throughout these levels and one room was so full of stuff the space could not be entered.
With gaping holes in the roof this upper level of the house was littered with pigeon droppings scattered across much of the rooms up here. On the top floor, part of the ceiling had caved in due to a massive hole in the roof, leading to structural problems onall levels of this house. The house was going to auction with Auction House Wales, but who would take on a house like this? Well, a few bidders were up for the challenge when the house went under the hammer.
Director and auctioneer at the company, Marc Morrish, said at the time: "Stepping inside is pretty much fear of the unknown. Once inside it is pretty much a time warp; old furniture is present along with clothing hung up inside which include old sheepskin coats and other retro looking items. The elements have really got to the condition of the property and certain sections at the front of the house have had to be propped up. The house has a lot of pigeon guano present from an infestation and part of the top floor no longer has a roof present.
"Being a Penarth resident born and bred, I've often walked past the house and thought what an opportunity it could be for somebody, but also feeling sorry for the neighbouring properties. I'm really looking forward to seeing the end result once a successful purchaser has put their own stamp on the house and brought it back to life. You are basically starting from scratch and almost rebuilding the entire property."
And that is exactly what has happened to this house: a complete and total renovation after the house was bought at auction by a developer. Architect Jessica Lyons from practice Studio Lyons, who was heavily involved in the project to bring this house back to life, can remember the day that work started at the site.
She says: "When looking at the photos it was obvious that the property needed a serious amount of work, but upon visiting the site, we realised it was going to be quite a bit more of a project. It was eerie, like time had stood still. We couldn't imagine how someone had been living there all this time in such an unsafe environment. The upstairs and front rooms were completely shut off due to the roof and front of the house having collapsed in, onto itself."
The state of the house did not put off the developer, who wishes to remain anonymous, and the team who were about to work on the project. The potential to create a gorgeous home on this wonderful road was the driving force that overcame the starting point of a house that was in a very bad state.
Jessica says: "To be honest we weren't daunted, we just felt a lot of excitement because of all the potential we could see for the house. We were confident that we could bring life and charm back into the property again. We knew there wouldn't be many opportunities to develop a house like this, and the other houses on the street gave an indication of what the house could become if restored to its original glory."
So began the incredible transformation that had to start with getting the house back to its shell before renovation and rebuilding, plus adding an extension could begin. Jessica says: "Unfortunately, nothing in the property was salvageable. When the roof had fallen in, hundreds of pigeons had made it their home so there was pigeon guano coating everything which is highly corrosive and harmful! This meant the builder had to take care when clearing out the property."
Then came all the structural work on the main house to make it safe, secure and watertight and the two main elements were the roof, of course, but also the front facade of the house was missing a significant segment. Jessica says: "Vault Stone, a Cardiff based, highly skilled stonemasons, rebuilt the whole front of the house. They took care in recreating the ornate stonework detailing to the front bay of the house, and restored any stonework that was salvageable, including the date stone above the door."
More structural work included rebuilding the side bay and rear bay windows, and installing new walls, floors, windows and staircases throughout. In addition to repairing and rebuilding what was missing or damaged, the team added to the property too. Outside, the former outbuilding has been lavished with attention too, creating a summerhouse ideal as an escape to the garden for leisure or a quiet spot for work. So the rear of the house can now boast a vast and sociable kitchen diner with a wall of contemporary, black framed glass that contain doors out to the private garden.
Light floods in from the roof lantern and added side in windows too, aided by white and neutral decor that is super smart and stylish and ensures the inky blue kitchen units get maximum attention. This new addition to the floorplan also offers a bonus utility room and shower room. The front room is now a welcoming space and again the light is incredible, cascading in from the repaired bay window and joined by neutral interior design that celebrates the reinstalled period features, from coving and picture rails at the top to deep skirtings and parquet flooring at the bottom.
The added fireplace is another focal point that gives the room period charm. This added character that is also given a modern and elegant feel, is continued into the second reception room where, again, all a new owner has to do is bring their furniture and accessories to create their dream home here. The first floor can now boast the master bedroom at the front with ensuite and bay window, a family bathroom and two additional, double bedrooms. Up to the top floor and the roof is back and the bird droppings are gone, replaced by three bedrooms, one of which is an en suite.
The house did put up a fight and although nothing went wrong with the renovation and the build, the challenge was the budget. Jessica says that during the build, when the Covid-19 pandemic struck, sourcing some materials became difficult and the costs quickly increased. Jessica says: "Due to unforeseen costs, plus a desire to finish the project to a high specification, the total build cost was higher than anticipated."
But the smaller-than-antcipated profit in relation to the amount of work and effort does not dampen the team's love and enthusiasm for the property that they have worked hard to save from the brink of no-return.
Jessica says: "We are both very proud of the whole home and I am especially drawn to the beautiful stonework of the house, it makes the property look very grand from the outset. The kitchen and dining room is definitely the feature room of the house, it will make both a great family space and a fun entertaining space. The large glazing to the extension really opens the house up to the garden too, but I love the front living room the most because of the reclaimed fireplaces and original features that were all reinstated. It feels very calm in the house. It is filled with so much light, which feels a world away from the state of the property at the start!"
Marc Morrish is now as flabbergasted at the transformation as the neighbours, who had front row seats to the reviving of this Victorian beauty. He says: "You would never guess that it is the same property! I sold the property in conjunction with my partner agent, David Baker & Co, for £363,000 in February 2021 in our online auction, and the property needed to be almost completely rebuilt. The client has done so with a great deal of care and detail and it's unbelievable the standard of works and transformation of this character property which has taken place. The property was sold to them leasehold and the client has also negotiated and acquired the freehold at a great cost along with the overall development cost which is offered as the tenure for sale with the property."
So that's another headache sorted out for the next owner, as well as a private, walled garden, rear vehicle access, no renovations needed, and no chain to worry about, as well as surely the relief that now there's not a single pigeon in sight. The six-bed house that was saved on Westbourne Street, Penarth is on the market for £1,370,000 with Allen & Harris, call their Penarth branch on 029 2070 5528. And don't miss the best dream homes in Wales, auction properties, renovation stories, and interiors - join the Amazing Welsh Homes newsletter , sent to your inbox twice a week.
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