0:00:02 > 0:00:04Over the years, Britain's Empty Homes has been
0:00:04 > 0:00:08on a mission to show what can be done to revitalise and transform
0:00:08 > 0:00:12some of the UK's estimated one million empty properties.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15- Alison, hello, how are you? - Good, thank you.
0:00:15 > 0:00:17In this series, I'll be catching up with some of the people
0:00:17 > 0:00:20who took the plunge and staked everything on turning
0:00:20 > 0:00:23unloved houses into bespoke family homes.
0:00:28 > 0:00:31Today, I will be catching up with a couple from an earlier series
0:00:31 > 0:00:34who took on an empty property and I'll be seeing just how far
0:00:34 > 0:00:37they have got with creating their dream home.
0:00:37 > 0:00:39It is our first home together
0:00:39 > 0:00:41so what is better than building it together?
0:00:43 > 0:00:46We'll also be revisiting some of the derelict dwellings
0:00:46 > 0:00:49that our property detectives have been working hard to save
0:00:49 > 0:00:53in order to prevent them from spoiling the local landscape.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56Wow, what a difference. Absolutely brilliant, isn't it?
0:00:56 > 0:00:58New windows, new doors.
0:00:58 > 0:01:01And we will see how a thousand homes have been revived
0:01:01 > 0:01:05in one of Sheffield's most iconic and infamous housing estates.
0:01:06 > 0:01:09I feel quite emotional.
0:01:09 > 0:01:10Oh.
0:01:13 > 0:01:15Over a year ago, I met Ros and Michael,
0:01:15 > 0:01:18a couple who had recently got engaged and had set their sights on
0:01:18 > 0:01:21transforming an empty waste metal workshop
0:01:21 > 0:01:23into their very first home together.
0:01:27 > 0:01:28The building Michael Donald
0:01:28 > 0:01:32and Ros Havard fell in love with was in the village of Broseley
0:01:32 > 0:01:34just two miles outside Ironbridge,
0:01:34 > 0:01:38birthplace of the Industrial Revolution.
0:01:38 > 0:01:40'I have always looked at it and always thought,
0:01:40 > 0:01:43' "Oh, wouldn't that make a lovely little cottage." '
0:01:43 > 0:01:47I never dreamt that one day it might become a home.
0:01:49 > 0:01:53Ros and Michael got together through a shared passion for classic cars.
0:01:53 > 0:01:56Two years later, they decided to take the plunge
0:01:56 > 0:01:58and buy a place together.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01It will be our first home together, yes.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04And the renovation is our first, sort of, adventure,
0:02:04 > 0:02:07- if you like, into building together. - Together, yes.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10Despite being in a conservation area,
0:02:10 > 0:02:14the building narrowly escaped demolition.
0:02:14 > 0:02:17'I couldn't see a bulldozer going through that property.'
0:02:18 > 0:02:21'It really deserves to be kept going, doesn't it?'
0:02:21 > 0:02:24'Yes. Yes. And we will do it.'
0:02:24 > 0:02:26- Together.- We'll try.
0:02:30 > 0:02:32'I went to meet Ros and Michael
0:02:32 > 0:02:35'to see for myself how big a project they had taken on.'
0:02:35 > 0:02:37How are you doing?
0:02:37 > 0:02:39'No-one has lived in these cottages for over 40 years
0:02:39 > 0:02:43'and I was keen to find out more about our plans.'
0:02:43 > 0:02:48- Now, I hear congratulations are in order.- Yes.- What happened recently?
0:02:48 > 0:02:52- We got engaged.- You got engaged. - We got engaged.- Wow.
0:02:52 > 0:02:54Well, many congratulations.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57Is this, therefore, the first property you are taking on together?
0:02:57 > 0:02:59- It is.- Absolutely.- It is.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02Fantastic. Well, look, all the plans are afoot.
0:03:02 > 0:03:06- Shall we take a look inside and see what you have landed yourself with? - Certainly.
0:03:13 > 0:03:15The property dates back to 1740
0:03:15 > 0:03:19and was originally a group of separate workers' cottages
0:03:19 > 0:03:23before being turned into a scrap metal workshop.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27Wow. Look at that. It's just a shell at the moment, isn't it, really?
0:03:27 > 0:03:30- Yes. It is.- And no foundations with a cottage this age.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33They're straight onto bare earth.
0:03:33 > 0:03:37OK. But, you know, on the plus side it is a very unusual space.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40We believe that it deserves to be preserved.
0:03:40 > 0:03:42Does that make you quite emotional?
0:03:42 > 0:03:45The idea that you can keep this building going.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48We are going to try, yeah.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51- That is really nice to see.- Yeah.
0:03:53 > 0:03:56Ros and Michael bought the whole place for £200,000
0:03:56 > 0:04:00and had a budget of 132,000 for renovations.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05'They plan to turn the old workshop into a space for Michael to
0:04:05 > 0:04:10'work on his cars and make the remaining cottages into their home.'
0:04:10 > 0:04:13Ideally, we would like to bring a two-storey extension next to
0:04:13 > 0:04:16where we are now with probably two bedrooms, actually.
0:04:16 > 0:04:18So, these extensions, bearing in mind
0:04:18 > 0:04:21we are in a conservation zone, what sort of style are you going for?
0:04:21 > 0:04:24I'd like them to look like they are attachments to the cottage.
0:04:24 > 0:04:26We will use the local tiles, obviously,
0:04:26 > 0:04:28and we will build in keeping.
0:04:28 > 0:04:30We want to build with Broseley brick, if we can.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33Yes, I'm going to start a collection of Broseley brick
0:04:33 > 0:04:36cos they are very difficult to find. So it's one of my only projects.
0:04:36 > 0:04:40You will be a fun guy to be around for the next year or two, won't you?
0:04:40 > 0:04:42'Ros and Michael plan to get contractors in to do
0:04:42 > 0:04:46'the structural work but aim to do the rest themselves.'
0:04:46 > 0:04:50Hey, I like this place, guys. Talk me through this space.
0:04:50 > 0:04:54Originally, probably one cottage. As they have used it as a workshop,
0:04:54 > 0:04:58obviously, they have ripped out the walls and ceiling.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01Our plan is to keep the roof height as it is now.
0:05:01 > 0:05:03It would have been very low, wouldn't it?
0:05:03 > 0:05:06- You can see where the floors would have come across.- Absolutely.
0:05:06 > 0:05:09We are looking to keep this space as our living room,
0:05:09 > 0:05:13if you like, with access to the outside into the courtyard.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20When could you see it being finished?
0:05:20 > 0:05:22I don't see it going, perhaps, beyond three years.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24I think we can do it within three years if we phase it.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26I know how much you both love this building.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29Is there a worry that when engineers and builders come in
0:05:29 > 0:05:32they might say to you, "I'm sorry, that's got to go.
0:05:32 > 0:05:34"We can't save that part of the building?"
0:05:34 > 0:05:37The thing is not to worry about it until such time as we are told
0:05:37 > 0:05:39- we can't do this or can't do that. - We have got it in our heads...
0:05:39 > 0:05:45Stoic. That's what I like. Calm, Stoic approach.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48'This determined couple certainly had their work cut out
0:05:48 > 0:05:52'and already knew it wasn't going to come together overnight.'
0:05:52 > 0:05:55Later, we will see what happened when I took Ros and Michael
0:05:55 > 0:05:57to meet a couple who had painstakingly spent
0:05:57 > 0:06:0222 years building their dream home from the ruins of an old mill.
0:06:05 > 0:06:07Does that seem a bit of a reality check?
0:06:07 > 0:06:12I think we have 22 years to get it done.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15Throughout the country, it is not just private buyers
0:06:15 > 0:06:17like Ros and Michael rising to the challenge
0:06:17 > 0:06:19of turning deserted properties into functioning homes.
0:06:19 > 0:06:23Local council empty property officers work tirelessly
0:06:23 > 0:06:25to track down the owners of abandoned homes
0:06:25 > 0:06:29and use their powers to bring these properties back into use.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34In Birmingham alone, there's around 70 houses added to
0:06:34 > 0:06:37the empty property register every month.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40Over three years ago, we met Matthew Smith,
0:06:40 > 0:06:43one of the city's empty property officers,
0:06:43 > 0:06:46as he followed up one of his ongoing cases.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49The owners of a house in the west of the city
0:06:49 > 0:06:53had left it empty for six years and after a fire caused damage
0:06:53 > 0:06:55it had become a real eyesore.
0:06:55 > 0:07:00Matthew had decided it was finally time to serve an enforcement notice.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03Legally, we need to attach the notice to the property
0:07:03 > 0:07:05to say it is formally served.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08We need to start getting real with this one now.
0:07:08 > 0:07:12Having tried and failed to get the owners of this semi-detached house
0:07:12 > 0:07:13to improve its appearance,
0:07:13 > 0:07:17Matthew had decided the only option was this hardline approach.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20If the work isn't carried out we'll carry out the work in default
0:07:20 > 0:07:24and hopefully it will be the end to the problems for the neighbourhood.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32Today, over three years on, Matthew has come back to see
0:07:32 > 0:07:35what's happened to the house that was once such an eyesore.
0:07:36 > 0:07:40After the enforcement notice was served, the owners sold
0:07:40 > 0:07:43the property and Matthew has come back to meet the purchaser.
0:07:43 > 0:07:47- Hiya, how you doing?- Hello. - Good to meet you at last.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50Margolicia Kurdat is a property developer.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53She stayed in touch with Matthew throughout the renovation.
0:07:54 > 0:07:58What a difference. Absolutely brilliant, isn't it?
0:07:58 > 0:08:02- New windows, new doors.- It makes a difference, doesn't it?- It does.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05It's brilliant. Back to its former glory, if you like.
0:08:05 > 0:08:09- Shall we have a look inside? - Yeah, yeah, of course.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11The interior is immaculate,
0:08:11 > 0:08:14just waiting for someone to move in and make it their home.
0:08:16 > 0:08:21- Wow, look at this.- It looks nice, doesn't it?- Brilliant, isn't it?
0:08:21 > 0:08:23Last time I was here, it was all fire-damaged
0:08:23 > 0:08:26and totally black with all the soot and everything like that
0:08:26 > 0:08:30that was from the fire so it is absolutely brilliant.
0:08:30 > 0:08:32From the outside point of view, there was a lot to do
0:08:32 > 0:08:34but when we got actually to inside,
0:08:34 > 0:08:37there was more smoke damage than fire damage.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39I remember looking over the fence of the neighbours
0:08:39 > 0:08:41and it was all overgrown, wasn't it?
0:08:41 > 0:08:43So, you've obviously cut down and done some work, well,
0:08:43 > 0:08:46a lot of work, obviously, in the garden, yeah?
0:08:46 > 0:08:50It is a superb family house. Superb inside.
0:08:50 > 0:08:52New family's going to move in shortly. Everybody is a winner.
0:08:52 > 0:08:56So, finally now, that eyesore from the street has been removed.
0:08:56 > 0:08:58And it is looking fabulous.
0:09:00 > 0:09:02Transforming an empty property has its rewards,
0:09:02 > 0:09:04but it is never going to be easy.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07However, when you speak to people who have been through for it,
0:09:07 > 0:09:09they will tell you the hard work, the stress,
0:09:09 > 0:09:12the sacrifices are all worth it in the end.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17In Bath, author Joe Abercrombie and his photographer wife Lou
0:09:17 > 0:09:22bought this unusual art deco style property for £400,000.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25We were looking for somewhere that we can do some work to.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28Maybe not as much work as we ended up doing, but we were
0:09:28 > 0:09:31looking for somewhere that would be a little bit of a project.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34After an 18-month-long building project,
0:09:34 > 0:09:37Joe and Lou transformed it into a strikingly modern family home.
0:09:44 > 0:09:45But it came at a cost.
0:09:48 > 0:09:51We started with a ludicrous budget of 150.
0:09:51 > 0:09:57By the time we started to build, it had mushroomed to about 420.
0:09:57 > 0:10:01And then it did go a bit further. So, we probably spent 450, 460.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04But we don't know whether we have recouped it.
0:10:04 > 0:10:06- We don't know what it is worth. - We don't know.
0:10:06 > 0:10:08I'd rather not know, in a way.
0:10:08 > 0:10:10Throughout the spectacular renovation,
0:10:10 > 0:10:13Joe and Lou took on many design challenges together.
0:10:17 > 0:10:19We wanted a very modern, contemporary kind of look.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22It was really nice to come to a house that was really light,
0:10:22 > 0:10:26where you could have some real modern touches, but keep
0:10:26 > 0:10:31some of the more art deco sort of features that the house already had.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34There are some quite interesting materials which are very modern
0:10:34 > 0:10:36in contrast to the Bath stone.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39The circular extension has been clad in wood.
0:10:39 > 0:10:43The stainless steel roof, I think, it makes it more than just
0:10:43 > 0:10:47a stone house, really, which there's a lot of them around here.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50The Abercrombies have breathed new life into an empty house
0:10:50 > 0:10:53and now have an amazing family home.
0:10:58 > 0:11:02One of the most important design aspects was to be able to entertain.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04With the kitchen sitting out,
0:11:04 > 0:11:07looking over this big semicircular patio, we have had a few parties
0:11:07 > 0:11:09and it fitted it perfectly.
0:11:09 > 0:11:13Everyone was sat out on the lawn, on the patio,
0:11:13 > 0:11:16milling around in the kitchen. It is like the perfect space for it.
0:11:21 > 0:11:25Bringing an empty property back to life may be a worthwhile pursuit
0:11:25 > 0:11:28but it is never going to be easy.
0:11:28 > 0:11:29Earlier, we met a couple
0:11:29 > 0:11:33who were planning a major renovation of an old workshop.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36To inspire Ros and Michael, I took them to see
0:11:36 > 0:11:40Ruth and Martin Johnson, who bought a ramshackle old mill at auction
0:11:40 > 0:11:44and then dedicated themselves to turning it into a picture-perfect home.
0:11:46 > 0:11:51- What do you think?- It's amazing. It's beautiful.- Lovely.- It really is.
0:11:51 > 0:11:56- So, it is quite a building.- Yes. - It clearly has an industrial past.
0:11:56 > 0:12:00It has been a working mill. It's a William Hazeldine design.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03He was responsible for many of the mills in this part of the country.
0:12:03 > 0:12:08- And it looks gorgeous.- Yes, it does. - But it didn't always look gorgeous.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11- Really?- To help you visualise.
0:12:11 > 0:12:13That is incredible, isn't it?
0:12:13 > 0:12:17- So, not only has it been lovingly restored...- They have extended it.
0:12:17 > 0:12:21They have extended it. Very good. Very observant.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24So, some similarities here. Some big similarities.
0:12:24 > 0:12:28- Let's go and say hello. Come on. - Lovely, thank you.- Thank you.
0:12:28 > 0:12:32When Martin Johnson saw the old mill at auction back in 1989,
0:12:32 > 0:12:34he was so sure it was the one
0:12:34 > 0:12:37that he bought it without even consulting his wife Ruth.
0:12:40 > 0:12:45I got home from work, the phone went and you rang to say that I better
0:12:45 > 0:12:48come and have a look at this mill because you had actually bought it.
0:12:48 > 0:12:53- Yes.- So I packed the kids into the car, came down and
0:12:53 > 0:12:56saw, as far as I was concerned, a pile of rubble.
0:12:56 > 0:13:01But Martin could see greater things.
0:13:01 > 0:13:02That was 24 years ago
0:13:02 > 0:13:07and Martin and Ruth paid £62,000 for the Shropshire mill.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11To me, this was a bargain cos it was a wonderful building.
0:13:11 > 0:13:17Although it was derelict, it had a lot of what I was looking for.
0:13:17 > 0:13:19To afford the building or what was left of it,
0:13:19 > 0:13:23Martin and Ruth had to sell their family home which meant
0:13:23 > 0:13:25they had no choice but to live in a caravan
0:13:25 > 0:13:30with their two young sons for the first six years of the build.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33We didn't have a great pot of money.
0:13:33 > 0:13:35We were both working full-time.
0:13:35 > 0:13:40We did it as we could afford it - a lot of it ourselves.
0:13:42 > 0:13:46I am a firm believer that the best things in life are hard-won.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49That one can go on my gravestone.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57- Hi, guys, how are you doing? - Very well, thank you.
0:13:57 > 0:14:00Michael and Ros here have just been looking at your lovely home and garden
0:14:00 > 0:14:04and we played a bit of spot the difference with the original.
0:14:04 > 0:14:06Here's one we did earlier.
0:14:06 > 0:14:10The first thing we noticed was that it has considerably grown in size.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13- So, this is all extension, isn't it?- Yes.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16These guys are thinking of also extending and they're struck,
0:14:16 > 0:14:20I imagine, by the similarity of style that you have kept this
0:14:20 > 0:14:23look and feel. How have you done that?
0:14:23 > 0:14:25Well, it's a lot to do with the bricks.
0:14:25 > 0:14:30We went to pains to source exactly the same colour and size of brick.
0:14:31 > 0:14:35Ruth and Martin made sure they conserved the mill wheel
0:14:35 > 0:14:39and all its original wooden parts take pride of place inside the house,
0:14:39 > 0:14:42which has six bedrooms, a lounge, a dining room
0:14:42 > 0:14:44and a cosy eat-in kitchen.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49Well, you have already admired outside and now, coming in here,
0:14:49 > 0:14:51you can see they have retained the inside as well.
0:14:51 > 0:14:53Very impressive. What do you think?
0:14:53 > 0:14:55It's beautiful. Like we were talking about before,
0:14:55 > 0:14:59about retaining something of the history.
0:14:59 > 0:15:03How long did this project take?
0:15:03 > 0:15:06- 22 years.- Right, we don't have that.
0:15:06 > 0:15:08Is that what you'd have imagined?
0:15:08 > 0:15:10Does that seem a bit of a reality check?
0:15:10 > 0:15:15Well, I don't think we have 22 years to get it finished.
0:15:15 > 0:15:18Tell me about your planning. Was it in place when you got the mill?
0:15:18 > 0:15:20- The planning permission?- Yes.
0:15:20 > 0:15:26We bought it with a suggested plan and, for lots of reasons,
0:15:26 > 0:15:28for us, the plan didn't work.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31We didn't like it. It wasn't big enough.
0:15:31 > 0:15:33We were sitting in a caravan for about six months
0:15:33 > 0:15:34waiting to be able to start.
0:15:34 > 0:15:38- For new planning.- We couldn't start. - We resubmitted new planning.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41You might not be in a position to start building immediately
0:15:41 > 0:15:44but as long as you have planning permission in place you can start when you want.
0:15:44 > 0:15:47Otherwise, when you want to, you might not have planning permission
0:15:47 > 0:15:50and that gets frustrating, as you had for six months.
0:15:50 > 0:15:52Well, look, it's been amazing to see.
0:15:52 > 0:15:54- Shall we peek our heads through to the next room?- Yes, please.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57- After you. Lead the way.- OK.
0:15:59 > 0:16:01They sourced reclaimed materials for the extension
0:16:01 > 0:16:04so the look and the feel of the new rooms
0:16:04 > 0:16:06would mirror those of the old building.
0:16:07 > 0:16:11Well, the first thing to say is we are in the extension here
0:16:11 > 0:16:15but it doesn't necessarily feel like that it is a new addition.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18Well, we didn't want just to put a square box on here
0:16:18 > 0:16:22and then Martin came up with the bright idea of, you know,
0:16:22 > 0:16:25using timbers and just making it a bit more interesting.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28It just makes it feel as though it belongs
0:16:28 > 0:16:30a little bit more to the mill.
0:16:31 > 0:16:33We walked in and then I suddenly thought,
0:16:33 > 0:16:36"Hold on a minute, we are in the extension here."
0:16:36 > 0:16:37It just follows. It flows.
0:16:37 > 0:16:40What we'd like is to end up with a building that basically
0:16:40 > 0:16:44looks, from all angles, like it has been there a long time.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47Well, guys, it has been amazing to look round your home.
0:16:47 > 0:16:49It is breathtaking inside and out.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52So, thank you very much for taking the time to have us today.
0:16:54 > 0:16:56This place is a fine example
0:16:56 > 0:16:59of just how dramatic a transformation can be.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02So, how useful has it been to see it?
0:17:02 > 0:17:05I mean, we have always had our vision, but what it shows you is
0:17:05 > 0:17:11the fact that our ugly little brick box can be transformed, if you like.
0:17:11 > 0:17:15- Are you leaving here now just raring to go, to get stuck in?- Yes.
0:17:15 > 0:17:19- We'll get started when we get back, shall we?- Well, why not?- Why not?
0:17:19 > 0:17:22I mean, what it does tell you is the fact that you do need to
0:17:22 > 0:17:25push on to starting parts, which we have been sort of thinking,
0:17:25 > 0:17:28"Well, we have got to do this." And we do need to make things happen.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31There will be lots of challenges along the way but your cottages are
0:17:31 > 0:17:33something quite special and I know
0:17:33 > 0:17:36you will turn them into your dream homes so I wish you every success.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38- Thank you.- Thank you very much.
0:17:40 > 0:17:43Buildings in need of being saved and restored aren't just found
0:17:43 > 0:17:48in the idyllic English countryside but also in the busy inner cities.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52A controversial decision by English Heritage to protect
0:17:52 > 0:17:55an unpopular Sheffield housing estate laid
0:17:55 > 0:17:59the foundations for a huge regeneration project.
0:17:59 > 0:18:01Designed in the late 1950s,
0:18:01 > 0:18:06the Park Hill estate married social housing with cutting-edge design.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09But, by the 1980s, it had fallen into decline.
0:18:09 > 0:18:11With 900 flats lying empty,
0:18:11 > 0:18:15it was on the brink of demolition until English Heritage
0:18:15 > 0:18:19stepped in to save it, giving it a Grade II* listing,
0:18:19 > 0:18:23which made it one of the largest listed buildings in Europe.
0:18:23 > 0:18:27I came to see this unique structure for myself just over a year ago.
0:18:29 > 0:18:33The deck access scheme was seen as revolutionary at the time,
0:18:33 > 0:18:36described famously as resembling streets in the sky.
0:18:36 > 0:18:41The estate was undergoing an impressive £100 million renovation.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44I met Mark Latham from developers Urban Splash who are working
0:18:44 > 0:18:48with Sheffield City Council on the project.
0:18:48 > 0:18:51So, Mark, Park Hill fell into decline.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54Why wasn't it just knocked down?
0:18:54 > 0:18:57That happened in so many other modernist housing developers.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00Well, I think, principally it was recognised as being really
0:19:00 > 0:19:04a special example of this kind of building. It is a landmark.
0:19:04 > 0:19:08It is something that is absolutely unique in the world to Sheffield.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11And people travel from all over the world to come here and see it.
0:19:11 > 0:19:15Now everyone can see they might not like it in its current decline,
0:19:15 > 0:19:19dilapidated state, but if you talk to people who have lived here
0:19:19 > 0:19:21there are some key things that they all talk about.
0:19:21 > 0:19:25One being fantastic views, another being great space standards,
0:19:25 > 0:19:29so they are quite generous inside and the other key thing is
0:19:29 > 0:19:33this sense that this place creates a sense of community and that this
0:19:33 > 0:19:37place is too important to, kind of, just let fall away somehow.
0:19:37 > 0:19:40So, tell me about the renovation. When did it begin?
0:19:40 > 0:19:41I know it is going in phases,
0:19:41 > 0:19:44but how long has it been going for and how far have you got?
0:19:44 > 0:19:47Well, basically, the block that you see behind us which is all
0:19:47 > 0:19:50the colour panels, that is more or less a third of the physical space
0:19:50 > 0:19:55of the entire estate and we have completed the full envelope of that
0:19:55 > 0:19:58so the walls are on and it's all watertight and we are beginning
0:19:58 > 0:20:02then to fill up the inside with fitting out the flats themselves
0:20:02 > 0:20:06and we will just move on, phase by phase, block by block.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09The developers had installed a show flat for prospective buyers.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12Two thirds of the new properties were for sale
0:20:12 > 0:20:15with one third being saved for social housing.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18One of the major changes had been to make the walkways
0:20:18 > 0:20:21or streets in the sky residents only.
0:20:21 > 0:20:23Previously, with no security or surveillance,
0:20:23 > 0:20:26they were used as rat runs by criminal gangs -
0:20:26 > 0:20:29just one cause of the estate's decline.
0:20:29 > 0:20:31These are the famous streets in the sky,
0:20:31 > 0:20:34one of the defining features of Park Hill.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37They will actually be closed to the general public but there will
0:20:37 > 0:20:40still be, you know, plenty of people coming and going, other
0:20:40 > 0:20:45residents so that you get a sense of public and then private space.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48And in this tall block you have three of those streets.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51Each have different names and they have remained as really
0:20:51 > 0:20:54- a centrepiece of the vision here, haven't they?- Absolutely, yeah.
0:20:54 > 0:20:55And it is actually essential anyway
0:20:55 > 0:20:58because it is how the building is sort of put together.
0:20:58 > 0:21:01It's part of the pleasure of it and what makes it unique so
0:21:01 > 0:21:03we were very keen to keep it.
0:21:04 > 0:21:08Now, one year on, we have come back to the Park Hill estate to see
0:21:08 > 0:21:11just who is occupying its famous streets in the sky.
0:21:11 > 0:21:16Of the 78 flats finished so far, over half have been sold
0:21:16 > 0:21:20and among the very first of the new residents is retired couple
0:21:20 > 0:21:22Cathy and David Price.
0:21:22 > 0:21:26I feel quite emotional. I'm sure David does.
0:21:26 > 0:21:30- Pretty much.- It seems to have been a long time coming.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33- I will give you the homeowner pack to take.- Thank you very much.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36- And, David, I will give you the keys.- Thank you.
0:21:36 > 0:21:37I'm very excited, like my wife said.
0:21:37 > 0:21:42I just can't wait to move in here and start living in Sheffield.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45It is the beginning of a dream, I guess.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49Oh, exciting.
0:21:52 > 0:21:54Ooh!
0:21:54 > 0:21:58Oh, wow. It looks amazing.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00Yeah, fabulous. Look at the view.
0:22:00 > 0:22:04Just working out where the sofa will go.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07Oh, that's open.
0:22:07 > 0:22:11Instead of wooden beams, we have got concrete.
0:22:11 > 0:22:19All our hopes for the future are pinned on our life in Park Hill.
0:22:19 > 0:22:23Once, this estate would have been a no-go area for Cathy and David,
0:22:23 > 0:22:25but now it is a safe and welcoming environment
0:22:25 > 0:22:27that they can't wait to move into.
0:22:27 > 0:22:32The fact that this is, you know, something old,
0:22:32 > 0:22:38been brought back to life and regenerated,
0:22:38 > 0:22:42rejuvenated and we hope that is what is going to do for us too.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49Whether it is a whole housing estate or just a single property,
0:22:49 > 0:22:52embarking on a renovation project requires determination,
0:22:52 > 0:22:56vision and an ability to take setbacks on the chin.
0:22:58 > 0:23:00Qualities that were very evident
0:23:00 > 0:23:03when I met Ros Havard and Michael Donald
0:23:03 > 0:23:07before they had started renovating the old industrial building.
0:23:07 > 0:23:11'I couldn't see a bulldozer going through that property.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14'It really deserves to be kept going, doesn't it?'
0:23:14 > 0:23:18'Yes. Yes. And we will do it.'
0:23:18 > 0:23:19- Together.- We will try.
0:23:22 > 0:23:25I am back in Shropshire to catch up with Ros and Michael.
0:23:25 > 0:23:28Now, when I first met them, it was a clear to me they
0:23:28 > 0:23:30had an emotional attachment to this building.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33It wasn't just an investment in bricks and mortar -
0:23:33 > 0:23:36they really cared about saving these old cottages.
0:23:36 > 0:23:38Now, from the front, it all looks quite similar,
0:23:38 > 0:23:41but let's have a look round the back and see what has changed.
0:23:41 > 0:23:45We have seen many examples of great transformations across the series,
0:23:45 > 0:23:46but I'm sad to say
0:23:46 > 0:23:49sometimes the challenges presented by a particular building
0:23:49 > 0:23:54defeat even the most passionate and determined of would-be renovators.
0:23:54 > 0:23:57Ros, Michael, here I find you ankle deep in snow.
0:23:57 > 0:23:59Lovely to see you again.
0:23:59 > 0:24:00But down to business.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03I was kind of half-expecting to come round the corner there
0:24:03 > 0:24:04and see a new extension.
0:24:04 > 0:24:08Things look remarkably similar to the last time I was here.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11- What has been going on? - The footprint of the building,
0:24:11 > 0:24:15if you like, the structural integrity of it is basically rotten.
0:24:15 > 0:24:19We were trying to keep the front wall but that, actually,
0:24:19 > 0:24:23is too small to get a living space so we have to come to
0:24:23 > 0:24:28- a compromise that basically the thing has to come down.- Wow.
0:24:28 > 0:24:32- It has actually got to come down. - Sadly.- You have to start again.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35The structure of the 400-year-old building was
0:24:35 > 0:24:37so bad that it was simply beyond repair.
0:24:38 > 0:24:43We have tried everything to try to keep it, but...
0:24:43 > 0:24:45It has just got to go.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48How does that feel? This was a building you guys fell in love with.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51This was, you know, something you were really attracted to
0:24:51 > 0:24:54and drawn to and that has been at the heart of this project.
0:24:54 > 0:24:57Yeah, I was... I don't know.
0:24:57 > 0:24:59It's difficult to say.
0:24:59 > 0:25:01- Emotional, isn't it?- It is. - They do get you, these buildings.
0:25:01 > 0:25:03Yeah, yeah.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06But Ros and Michael aren't giving up.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08They are determined to salvage as much as possible
0:25:08 > 0:25:10of their beloved building.
0:25:10 > 0:25:12They have gone right back to the drawing board.
0:25:12 > 0:25:17There is room here to incorporate your spiral staircase.
0:25:17 > 0:25:21And local architect Francis Turner has come up with a scheme to
0:25:21 > 0:25:23rebuild the old cottages from scratch,
0:25:23 > 0:25:27saving some of the materials from the original structure.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30The difficult thing was to convey to Ros and Michael,
0:25:30 > 0:25:33without upsetting them, that we
0:25:33 > 0:25:37really have to think more broadly as to how we can actually do it.
0:25:37 > 0:25:39So, it is a last resort
0:25:39 > 0:25:43but you really think some of this character, some of this history,
0:25:43 > 0:25:48some of this heritage can be projected into a new building.
0:25:48 > 0:25:49Definitely. Definitely.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54'And now, with the right architect in place,
0:25:54 > 0:25:57'I really feel that Ros and Michael have turned a corner.'
0:25:57 > 0:25:59- What is it we're looking at here? - We are looking at a staircase.
0:25:59 > 0:26:03- It is a staircase. - Yes, indeed.- How bizarre.
0:26:03 > 0:26:06They have been busy scouring antiques yards, determined
0:26:06 > 0:26:10that one day they will create and furnish the home of their dreams.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13You've had a setback, yes, but now you can get really excited
0:26:13 > 0:26:15about what you're going to create here.
0:26:15 > 0:26:17You're going to keep some of that history,
0:26:17 > 0:26:19you're going to keep the feel of the place,
0:26:19 > 0:26:23use some great original materials and you will have that amazing home.
0:26:23 > 0:26:25It is our first home together
0:26:25 > 0:26:28- so what is better than building it together?- Amazing.
0:26:28 > 0:26:31Well, guys, good luck. It is all going the right way
0:26:31 > 0:26:34and you're going to have a great first home as a married couple.
0:26:34 > 0:26:36- We are. Thank you. - Congratulations.- Thank you.
0:26:38 > 0:26:41Michael and Ros desperately wanted to save this building
0:26:41 > 0:26:43and they looked at every possible solution,
0:26:43 > 0:26:47but in this exceptional case reality intervened
0:26:47 > 0:26:51and it just wasn't possible, but they are doing the next best thing
0:26:51 > 0:26:55which is staying positive and then taking the history and character of
0:26:55 > 0:26:59this building forward and projecting it into a brilliant new home.
0:26:59 > 0:27:02And you know what? I think they will be just fine.
0:27:25 > 0:27:29Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd