0:00:02 > 0:00:03Up and down the country,
0:00:03 > 0:00:06there are empty properties just waiting to be brought back to life.
0:00:08 > 0:00:09I'll be finding out why
0:00:09 > 0:00:12and what you can do to rescue a home for yourself.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15We'll be following the empty property officers,
0:00:15 > 0:00:19whose job it is to track down the owners of forgotten houses
0:00:19 > 0:00:21and get them back in to use.
0:00:21 > 0:00:22And I'll be doing some digging of my own
0:00:22 > 0:00:25to find out more about our housing stock, our history
0:00:25 > 0:00:29and why we should be both preserving and reinventing
0:00:29 > 0:00:30Britain's empty homes.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39Renovating an empty home can be a life-changing experience.
0:00:39 > 0:00:43It will push you to your limits and can be a major logistical challenge.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46But the benefits can be truly rewarding.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49You get to breathe new life back into a property
0:00:49 > 0:00:51and tailor it to your tastes.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55On today's show -
0:00:55 > 0:00:57a couple who have taken an ambitious step
0:00:57 > 0:01:00up the property ladder by purchasing an abandoned chapel
0:01:00 > 0:01:03they plan to turn into a home for their young family...
0:01:03 > 0:01:06Mike's very ambitious and he's a dreamer
0:01:06 > 0:01:08but I have to rein him in a little bit.
0:01:08 > 0:01:09..a project in Chichester
0:01:09 > 0:01:12dedicated to regenerating a former hospital site
0:01:12 > 0:01:15and creating a new community hub...
0:01:15 > 0:01:16We've got, ultimately,
0:01:16 > 0:01:18buildings that are going to be for community uses
0:01:18 > 0:01:23so there's a community hall, there's the listed chapel.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26So, yeah, there's a lot here.
0:01:26 > 0:01:28..and one of Britain's empty property officers
0:01:28 > 0:01:31who's on a mission to bring an abandoned period building in Kent
0:01:31 > 0:01:33back into use.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35That's an original feature, isn't it? It is, yeah.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38This actually was the main staircase of the hotel.
0:01:38 > 0:01:40And you can see the two big arch windows, here.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47Mike and Angela Shepherd were in the market for a home
0:01:47 > 0:01:48for them and their two children
0:01:48 > 0:01:51that was close to their extended family,
0:01:51 > 0:01:52where they'd grown up, in Lincoln.
0:01:52 > 0:01:54ANGELA: We just came across this property.
0:01:54 > 0:01:57We just had a look to see what we could get for our money in Lincoln
0:01:57 > 0:02:01and we just instantly fell in love with it, didn't we? Yeah.
0:02:01 > 0:02:03We drove up, well, I drove up here in the snow,
0:02:03 > 0:02:06this really big snowdrift, just because it was like,
0:02:06 > 0:02:09"Right, let's go and see this house," very on an impulse.
0:02:09 > 0:02:11Yes, yeah. But good.
0:02:11 > 0:02:13It felt right.
0:02:13 > 0:02:15With total faith in the project,
0:02:15 > 0:02:19Mike and Angela paid ?280,000 for two adjoining buildings -
0:02:19 > 0:02:21a disused Baptist chapel
0:02:21 > 0:02:24and the attached four-bedroom Victorian house.
0:02:24 > 0:02:26I restore historic buildings for a living -
0:02:26 > 0:02:29stone masonry and that sort of work.
0:02:29 > 0:02:33So this type of project didn't faze us at all.
0:02:33 > 0:02:35We knew that we wanted to take a renovation project on
0:02:35 > 0:02:36in the long term.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39Mike's very ambitious and has a lot of dreams.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42He's a dreamer but there are going to be certain things
0:02:42 > 0:02:43where I'm going to have to say,
0:02:43 > 0:02:45"Look, you know, this needs doing first."
0:02:45 > 0:02:48And just...you need to prioritise a bit, don't you?
0:02:49 > 0:02:52Angela may take a more practical approach whilst Mike dreams big
0:02:52 > 0:02:55but they're both focused on one goal -
0:02:55 > 0:02:57to turn these abandoned buildings
0:02:57 > 0:02:59into a sizeable home for their family.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02My dream for the children was to have a nice garden
0:03:02 > 0:03:05and just be able to let them be free
0:03:05 > 0:03:06and obviously be close to the family.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09I want the kids to get to know their cousins and things.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11So it's ideal, really.
0:03:11 > 0:03:13With a renovation budget of ?80,000
0:03:13 > 0:03:17and two large buildings to combine into one family home,
0:03:17 > 0:03:20they certainly have a big challenge ahead.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22We've got a huge space to deal with.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25We're just toying with ideas, designwise. Aren't we?
0:03:25 > 0:03:26I mean, we're in no rush.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29The house is liveable and then this space,
0:03:29 > 0:03:31which is obviously just redundant but, you know,
0:03:31 > 0:03:33we could renovate this bit at the same time
0:03:33 > 0:03:36and it not affect our family life.
0:03:36 > 0:03:38With the chapel being one of the first things you see
0:03:38 > 0:03:39as you enter the village,
0:03:39 > 0:03:41local neighbours are pleased Mike and Angela
0:03:41 > 0:03:43have plans to spruce it up.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45It's nice to have new neighbours.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48It's nice to have it renovated.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50It will give a good entrance into the village,
0:03:50 > 0:03:51as you come in from town.
0:03:51 > 0:03:52It could be good.
0:03:53 > 0:03:56Mike and Angela have already moved into the Victorian house
0:03:56 > 0:03:59and they're raring to go to join it up with the chapel.
0:03:59 > 0:04:02Hopefully, I can help them with the next stage of the process.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05Good morning, I'm Joe. Good morning. Angela, how are you doing? Morning.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08All right, good to see you. And you. Well, first of all, congratulations.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11I understand it's just a couple of weeks ago you got this place?
0:04:11 > 0:04:15Yeah, two weeks ago. Amazing. Yeah. How are you feeling? A bit nervous.
0:04:15 > 0:04:16A bit nervous! Tell me about it, then.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19It's quite an unusual building. What is it?
0:04:19 > 0:04:20Yeah, it's a Baptist chapel.
0:04:20 > 0:04:24Right. And then the church house, which is next to it.
0:04:24 > 0:04:28And it's a fairly decent-sized space. It is a good size.
0:04:28 > 0:04:30For what we got for our money, we were just...
0:04:30 > 0:04:33It was a no-brainer, really. Really? Yeah. Why not?
0:04:33 > 0:04:35Well, let's go and have a look what you did get for your money.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38Shall we start in the chapel, as we're right here?
0:04:38 > 0:04:39Yeah. Yeah, lovely. Great.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49Goodness me, this is a tremendous space. Yeah.
0:04:49 > 0:04:51It's absolutely huge, isn't it? It is, it is big.
0:04:51 > 0:04:53It's got a lot of ceiling height, which is good.
0:04:53 > 0:04:55Yes, it certainly has got that!
0:04:55 > 0:04:57What did you think when you first saw this?
0:04:57 > 0:04:59I just thought, "Wow, what a big space." You know?
0:04:59 > 0:05:02Just imagined our kids running around in it and, you know,
0:05:02 > 0:05:05it's everything we'd dreamed of, really. Yeah.
0:05:05 > 0:05:06Yeah, it's plenty of room.
0:05:06 > 0:05:07What are you dealing with here?
0:05:07 > 0:05:09I mean, I can see some of the windows are broken.
0:05:09 > 0:05:11What state is it in? How bad is it?
0:05:11 > 0:05:13It's dry. It is dry. No, it is dry.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16The construction of it is quite good, actually.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19You know, they've not scrimped on things when they've built it.
0:05:19 > 0:05:21So tell me the grand plan. How would you like it to be?
0:05:21 > 0:05:24Hopefully we'll be stood in the kitchen, where we are now,
0:05:24 > 0:05:29and then lounge, dining space, living space over the other side.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33You know, full height, it's got a lot of potential, really,
0:05:33 > 0:05:36for a first floor. We'll have some sort of mezzanine,
0:05:36 > 0:05:39but we're not sure how we'll go about it yet.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42We could just have it all open, but we'd be losing floor space.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45It'd join to the house, so you could continue a first-floor across.
0:05:45 > 0:05:47Exactly, yeah. And what about the features of the chapel?
0:05:47 > 0:05:50I mean, you've got these great big windows.
0:05:50 > 0:05:52I notice you're doing some digging here. What's going on?
0:05:52 > 0:05:56Yeah, this is the baptismal font that I heard was here,
0:05:56 > 0:05:59so I set about with a pick and a hammer
0:05:59 > 0:06:02and started breaking it out at the weekend, wasn't it?
0:06:02 > 0:06:06And, yeah, found the steps going down into it and the water in there,
0:06:06 > 0:06:09and the original floor level with quarry tiles,
0:06:09 > 0:06:12nothing out of the ordinary, you know,
0:06:12 > 0:06:14but it's just great to find an original feature.
0:06:14 > 0:06:16It's incredible. What a find.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19It would be nice to see what's under that rubble. Yeah.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22And so you would try and incorporate a feature like this?
0:06:22 > 0:06:23You want to, don't you? Yeah.
0:06:24 > 0:06:28'Mike and Angela are clearly taking on many challenges here,
0:06:28 > 0:06:30'turning two buildings into one home,
0:06:30 > 0:06:32'modernising the 19th century chapel,
0:06:32 > 0:06:36'and deciding whether a mezzanine floor maximises the space.
0:06:36 > 0:06:37'On top of this, I have a feeling
0:06:37 > 0:06:41'Angela is finding it hard to visualise the end result.'
0:06:41 > 0:06:44Very good. I mean, this is great, isn't it?
0:06:44 > 0:06:46This is a fully kitted out, furnished house.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48Must be very comfortable. This is ideal.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51Exactly what you're looking for, bolted onto the chapel. BOTH: Yeah.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54Definitely. A bit old-fashioned, not really to our taste at the moment.
0:06:54 > 0:06:55There's the question of taste,
0:06:55 > 0:06:58but it's in pretty good condition, isn't it? Oh, yeah, it's fine.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01You can live with it for now. Yeah. Absolutely fine, yeah.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04And upstairs, it's two, three bedrooms? Four bedrooms. Four?
0:07:04 > 0:07:07Yeah, four double bedrooms. It's going to be big when it's all done,
0:07:07 > 0:07:09with the chapel on the side. Yeah. It's quite big.
0:07:09 > 0:07:11Who is going to do the work on this project?
0:07:11 > 0:07:14Will you bring in professionals? Depends on money, doesn't it, really?
0:07:14 > 0:07:19If we could just project manage it, then that would be ideal. Yeah.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22But, you know, we will get our sleeves rolled up
0:07:22 > 0:07:23and we'll get on it, you know?
0:07:23 > 0:07:26'When Mike and Angela show me the garden,
0:07:26 > 0:07:28'it's clear why they've fallen in love with the building
0:07:28 > 0:07:31'and the outdoor space it gives the children.'
0:07:31 > 0:07:32It's a great space, isn't it?
0:07:32 > 0:07:34A really good size for your kids to run around and play in.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36It's about right for us, I think.
0:07:36 > 0:07:38I have to say, I find the stage you're at now so exciting,
0:07:38 > 0:07:41because it's all possible, isn't it? It's all up for grabs.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44You've just got to make your mind up and decide how you want it,
0:07:44 > 0:07:46so you're open to inspiration, and because of that,
0:07:46 > 0:07:49I think it'll be really good for you to see a property which,
0:07:49 > 0:07:51I said at the beginning, isn't a chapel,
0:07:51 > 0:07:54doesn't have a religious connection, but it does have some features
0:07:54 > 0:07:56I think you'll find really interesting. OK. And besides,
0:07:56 > 0:07:59you'll meet a couple who've been through a renovation like this.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02They've faced so many of the challenges you'll face here,
0:08:02 > 0:08:05so I think it would be a great opportunity to get some advice
0:08:05 > 0:08:08and get some guidance alongside a bit of inspiration as well.
0:08:08 > 0:08:10So that sounds good? Sounds very good. Yeah.
0:08:10 > 0:08:12This is such a brilliant project.
0:08:12 > 0:08:15This building that sat empty for so many years
0:08:15 > 0:08:16is about to be given a new lease of life.
0:08:16 > 0:08:19It's the first thing you see as you come into the village,
0:08:19 > 0:08:21and it's going to be perfect to have people living here.
0:08:21 > 0:08:24And for Mike and Angela, this is the most exciting moment, really,
0:08:24 > 0:08:28because they're not quite sure how it's all going to work,
0:08:28 > 0:08:30so it's the perfect time for them to see a property
0:08:30 > 0:08:34that has been renovated, and they can speak to the people behind it
0:08:34 > 0:08:38to get some advice, to get some guidance to help them on their way.
0:08:39 > 0:08:43Restoring an abandoned chapel may not be everyone's idea of heaven,
0:08:43 > 0:08:46but for those with imagination and dedication,
0:08:46 > 0:08:48the rewards can be enormous.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53In Winchester, Alice and Peter Dudgeon were living
0:08:53 > 0:08:57in a building that was originally part of a larger manor house
0:08:57 > 0:08:59that had been split in two in the 1950s.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03When their neighbour in the adjoining house died,
0:09:03 > 0:09:06it led the Dudgeons on an unexpected journey.
0:09:08 > 0:09:10We'd been living in the major part of the house
0:09:10 > 0:09:12for about seven years at that point,
0:09:12 > 0:09:16and we weren't actually looking to move.
0:09:16 > 0:09:21It was just because Nancy died,
0:09:21 > 0:09:23and the house was going to go on the market,
0:09:23 > 0:09:25and we were a bit concerned about what would happen to it.
0:09:25 > 0:09:29And I guess, also, we did have an eye to downsize a bit,
0:09:29 > 0:09:31this obviously being somewhat smaller
0:09:31 > 0:09:33than the very large bit next door.
0:09:33 > 0:09:35Are you saying we were getting old? Yes.
0:09:37 > 0:09:41The house had sat empty for seven months before they decided
0:09:41 > 0:09:44to downsize and buy it for ?700,000.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47It had formerly been the servants' quarters for the Earl of Airlie,
0:09:47 > 0:09:52and was built in 1856. It was very, very run down.
0:09:52 > 0:09:56The fabric of the building was deteriorating greatly.
0:09:56 > 0:10:00The roof was leaking, the guttering and the downpipes
0:10:00 > 0:10:02were all very much leaking, rusty.
0:10:02 > 0:10:06This was the first time that we'd actually used an architect
0:10:06 > 0:10:09in doing a renovation, and it certainly was a revelation.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12They came up with a lot of ideas that we wouldn't have done,
0:10:12 > 0:10:13and as Alice was saying,
0:10:13 > 0:10:17certainly incorporating the old cellar by using
0:10:17 > 0:10:20the lightwell to build a creator, a living space down there,
0:10:20 > 0:10:23and of course, my wine cellar. It was really a very good idea.
0:10:25 > 0:10:27After months of negotiations with architects
0:10:27 > 0:10:30and planning authorities, they finally got to work
0:10:30 > 0:10:32on a modern glass extension to the rear,
0:10:32 > 0:10:35and that was when the fun really started.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38The big challenge was the glass structure.
0:10:38 > 0:10:43They came with a big crane to install the ceiling panels,
0:10:43 > 0:10:45and they said, "There's a bit of a problem.
0:10:45 > 0:10:49"They've cut the ceiling panels six inches too short."
0:10:49 > 0:10:52There they were. They've been busily installing these things,
0:10:52 > 0:10:55and there was a six-inch gap at the top all the way along.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57Next minute, I heard a very large crash.
0:10:57 > 0:11:02One of the central beams, glass beams, collapsed.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05Very lucky it didn't kill anybody, I suspect.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08Instead of having a complete glass structure at the end of it,
0:11:08 > 0:11:11we ended up with most of the ceiling panels in place,
0:11:11 > 0:11:14all six inches too short, and a gaping gap in the middle
0:11:14 > 0:11:17where the two panels were no longer there.
0:11:17 > 0:11:21And then it rained that night. Yes. And we had a swimming pool.
0:11:21 > 0:11:23And we had a swimming pool. That was very, very upsetting.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27And it did delay the whole project by a good three or four months.
0:11:29 > 0:11:33Alice and Peter went on to spend ?400,000
0:11:33 > 0:11:37and three years on the project, which has exceeded all expectations
0:11:37 > 0:11:40and given them a truly unique place to live.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45I think we are here for a while, hopefully.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47We've done what we've done.
0:11:47 > 0:11:51I can't see us moving anywhere, so as far as I'm concerned,
0:11:51 > 0:11:53I think we are here for a while, aren't we?
0:11:53 > 0:11:55I think another four or five renovations,
0:11:55 > 0:11:58we might just about get it right!
0:11:58 > 0:12:00And we think the building's fantastic.
0:12:00 > 0:12:02It's a fantastic surprise.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05You arrive in front of a traditional Victorian facade,
0:12:05 > 0:12:08you open the door, and you open up this beautiful, big, high,
0:12:08 > 0:12:12white glass interior, flowing through to the garden.
0:12:12 > 0:12:14The glass staircase and the cathedral ceiling
0:12:14 > 0:12:16and all the light there.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19It's a great feeling when you walk through the door.
0:12:19 > 0:12:23Restoring Britain's forgotten buildings and turning them
0:12:23 > 0:12:25into housing stock is undoubtedly rewarding,
0:12:25 > 0:12:28and importantly, can also revive our communities.
0:12:29 > 0:12:33Across the south of England, three in every 100 homes lie empty
0:12:33 > 0:12:35and unused. Here in Chichester,
0:12:35 > 0:12:39over 20,000 families are currently on the housing waiting list.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42I've come to see a substantial new development that's aiming
0:12:42 > 0:12:47to create an entire community, and rescue some historic buildings.
0:12:48 > 0:12:50This former hospital site in Chichester
0:12:50 > 0:12:53sits on 34 hectares of conservation land,
0:12:53 > 0:12:56and includes two Grade II listed buildings.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59Construction first began here in 1894,
0:12:59 > 0:13:03with the hospital finally closing its doors in 2001.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05Three years ago, Linden Homes,
0:13:05 > 0:13:08along with the Homes and Communities Agency and Affinity Sutton,
0:13:08 > 0:13:11agreed to rejuvenate the site, creating new homes
0:13:11 > 0:13:14and upgrading buildings to meet modern standards.
0:13:14 > 0:13:16Peter Yule is part of the project.
0:13:16 > 0:13:19I can see looking around a mixture of new build and old.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22That's the point here, is it, to re-use some of the old buildings,
0:13:22 > 0:13:24but also put new homes alongside them? Yeah.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27Naturally, there are buildings on the site that
0:13:27 > 0:13:29are listed and therefore obviously protected,
0:13:29 > 0:13:32and there is the heart of the site that we are standing
0:13:32 > 0:13:35on the fringe of, that it would have been a real shame
0:13:35 > 0:13:38and a travesty to take those down.
0:13:38 > 0:13:42The project will not only create much needed housing stock,
0:13:42 > 0:13:46it'll also hopefully provide facilities for a whole new community.
0:13:46 > 0:13:50We've got, ultimately, buildings that are going to be for community
0:13:50 > 0:13:54use, so there's a community hall, there's the listed chapel,
0:13:54 > 0:13:56which is already in use.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59We've got some artists' studios, which Graylingwell
0:13:59 > 0:14:02and Chichester particularly, from the local university, wanted us to
0:14:02 > 0:14:05produce some artists' studios for them
0:14:05 > 0:14:07to kick off their budding careers.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10We've got some offices, we've got a pub planned.
0:14:10 > 0:14:12There's a lot of different uses here.
0:14:12 > 0:14:15And the homes themselves, a mixture of different bedrooms,
0:14:15 > 0:14:17different sizes? Yeah, that's right.
0:14:17 > 0:14:19There's refurbishment properties here.
0:14:19 > 0:14:22We've got a lot of new-build houses, new-build apartments,
0:14:22 > 0:14:26and 40% of the site is dedicated to affordable homes.
0:14:26 > 0:14:30So, yeah, there's a lot here. Fantastic.
0:14:30 > 0:14:34And this development is particularly notable for its attempt to
0:14:34 > 0:14:38provide the best energy efficiency across all of the buildings here.
0:14:38 > 0:14:40Tell me about this water tower.
0:14:40 > 0:14:42It's a very splendid redbrick building.
0:14:42 > 0:14:46Great to see that still standing. What's it being used for?
0:14:46 > 0:14:51In essence, it provides a great flueing option for our energy centre.
0:14:51 > 0:14:53We produced an energy centre here that will drive
0:14:53 > 0:14:55all 800 homes on this development.
0:14:55 > 0:14:58They get one feed for their hot water and central heating needs.
0:14:58 > 0:15:01So all these homes, none of them have boilers.
0:15:01 > 0:15:03They all get their hot water this way. That's right.
0:15:03 > 0:15:06Instead of hundreds of boiler flames going all the time
0:15:06 > 0:15:08you've just got one centre. That's right. Very impressive.
0:15:08 > 0:15:12OK, shall we go and have a look inside? That'll be great.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15Inside the hospital itself, work is about to start.
0:15:15 > 0:15:18But renovating such an old building comes with its own set
0:15:18 > 0:15:20of unique challenges.
0:15:20 > 0:15:22Although the structure is here, it does actually cost us
0:15:22 > 0:15:27more to develop and redevelop and convert old stock like this,
0:15:27 > 0:15:29not only because it's not standard,
0:15:29 > 0:15:32there are just risks inherent in these buildings that you
0:15:32 > 0:15:34can't see from the outside -
0:15:34 > 0:15:37damp, treatments to the reroofing and all sorts of structural issues
0:15:37 > 0:15:39we've got to deal with.
0:15:39 > 0:15:42Not that they weren't built very well, but we've got to
0:15:42 > 0:15:45introduce new structures to divide them up into homes.
0:15:45 > 0:15:49Yeah. I mean, these are big, high-ceilinged, long rooms.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52Typical kind of hospital wards, aren't they? Yeah.
0:15:52 > 0:15:54How do you divide them up?
0:15:54 > 0:15:56Do you make apartments out of them,
0:15:56 > 0:16:00do you cut across them to make houses...? We do a mix of both.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03So we use architects, and they work out whether it's better to
0:16:03 > 0:16:07vertically split the accommodation or horizontally split it.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09Vertically will naturally produce houses
0:16:09 > 0:16:14and there's the horizontal splits, where it'll be more apartment-led.
0:16:14 > 0:16:16So this is very much the before state.
0:16:16 > 0:16:20Are there some that have been completed and are ready to show?
0:16:20 > 0:16:24Yeah, absolutely. We've converted several blocks already.
0:16:24 > 0:16:26Great, let's take a look. Yeah.
0:16:30 > 0:16:32Wow, look at this!
0:16:32 > 0:16:35It's a bit different from the old hospital ward we saw.
0:16:35 > 0:16:39Yeah, so here we go. Fully converted apartment.
0:16:39 > 0:16:41This is a two-bedroom apartment, so, yeah,
0:16:41 > 0:16:45pretty typical of what you'll get in the refurbished buildings.
0:16:45 > 0:16:48I see, so talk me through this flat. It will be four rooms, will it?
0:16:48 > 0:16:52So an open-plan kitchen-diner, sitting room. Two bedrooms...
0:16:52 > 0:16:56A bathroom and en suite in the main bedroom. OK.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59Yeah, as you can see, the high ceilings, new doors and windows,
0:16:59 > 0:17:02all fully restored.
0:17:02 > 0:17:04Very good, well, the best of luck with that.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07I'm pleased to see these old buildings actually being used.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10I think this is a really interesting project.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13It's obviously going to come to fruition over many years ahead.
0:17:13 > 0:17:17Essentially, what they are doing is taking these old dilapidated
0:17:17 > 0:17:20buildings and sculpting, together with new-build,
0:17:20 > 0:17:22a working, functioning community.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25And I really like the communal focus here.
0:17:25 > 0:17:28The emphasis on one shared source of power, which is very efficient.
0:17:28 > 0:17:30It's going to make all these homes
0:17:30 > 0:17:32as environmentally friendly as possible.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35So hopefully at the end of it we will not just have a well preserved
0:17:35 > 0:17:39redbrick heritage, but also new homes
0:17:39 > 0:17:42and affordable housing where they are really needed.
0:17:44 > 0:17:48Sadly, not all of Britain's forgotten buildings are found
0:17:48 > 0:17:49and regenerated.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52But luckily, local council Empty Property Officers are taking
0:17:52 > 0:17:54action on behalf of communities.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59In Folkestone, Kent, Ian Cobby is on his way to a building
0:17:59 > 0:18:03he knows well. A former hotel, then bedsit,
0:18:03 > 0:18:06the 15-room property was bought four years ago, but the owners
0:18:06 > 0:18:10ran into financial difficulty and the council got involved.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13This is the final stage in a long process for Ian
0:18:13 > 0:18:16and he's hoping the building is close to being signed off.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21Renovating this property hasn't been easy.
0:18:21 > 0:18:25It's taken the owners at least three years to get this far,
0:18:25 > 0:18:27with two loans, one from Kent County Council
0:18:27 > 0:18:29and one from Shepway District Council.
0:18:31 > 0:18:33So I'll be happy once it is completed.
0:18:36 > 0:18:38Ian is meeting John Emmerson,
0:18:38 > 0:18:41who's project-managing the renovation on behalf of the owner.
0:18:41 > 0:18:43Ian has to make sure the loan has been used properly
0:18:43 > 0:18:47and the project meets the council's high standards.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50You'll notice the heat straightaway. Yes.
0:18:50 > 0:18:52As you know, the services aren't on yet,
0:18:52 > 0:18:56but we've got double glazing, which we had to fight for through
0:18:56 > 0:18:59the conservation guy, because they just wanted us to put timber in.
0:18:59 > 0:19:03And every external wall has been dot and dabbed,
0:19:03 > 0:19:07stuck with plasterboard and 75mm Celotex. Wow.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10And that's why you can feel this tremendous heat.
0:19:10 > 0:19:14It's really, really warm. So if I can just show you the windows, Ian.
0:19:14 > 0:19:15Certainly, John.
0:19:15 > 0:19:17Remember when we originally started here,
0:19:17 > 0:19:20the Conservation Officer just wanted us
0:19:20 > 0:19:24to literally put new timber ones in or repair what we had, which was
0:19:24 > 0:19:26impossible because when we opened it up
0:19:26 > 0:19:28it was so rotten it was untrue.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31So we got a company to make them up, but make them up
0:19:31 > 0:19:35in the exact identical design looking from the outside.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38Whoever buys these is going to reap the benefits... Really?
0:19:38 > 0:19:40..because the heat retention is amazing.
0:19:40 > 0:19:44It seems every effort has been made to restore the original
0:19:44 > 0:19:45elements of the hotel.
0:19:45 > 0:19:47This is one of the bedrooms.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50This actually was the main staircase of the hotel.
0:19:50 > 0:19:54And you can see the two big arch windows here. Yes.
0:19:54 > 0:19:58That's an original feature. It is, yeah, and we couldn't change that.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01But this is where we first started to expose, literally,
0:20:01 > 0:20:04all the damage in the building, which was...
0:20:04 > 0:20:08The rot in this building was from every single floor to every
0:20:08 > 0:20:13single lintel in this property has been changed. I can imagine.
0:20:13 > 0:20:16So there was roughly a ?75,000 bill on top,
0:20:16 > 0:20:19and that's why the owner went back to get a second loan,
0:20:19 > 0:20:25and that's why it's literally taken three years to get it to this stage.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30For Ian, this lengthy project is hopefully close to providing
0:20:30 > 0:20:32much-needed housing in the area,
0:20:32 > 0:20:35as well as reviving this large building.
0:20:35 > 0:20:38I feel that the internal works that I've seen
0:20:38 > 0:20:42so far are exemplary, of a standard higher than I would expect.
0:20:42 > 0:20:46My next visit will be when John calls me to come back
0:20:46 > 0:20:49and have a look at it. Hopefully then the services will be in,
0:20:49 > 0:20:53all the snagging will be finished and I'll be able to sign the job off.
0:20:55 > 0:20:58If you've noticed abandoned buildings in your area
0:20:58 > 0:21:01and fancy the challenge of taking one on,
0:21:01 > 0:21:04then get in touch with your local Empty Property Officer,
0:21:04 > 0:21:06or contact estate agents or neighbourhood watch groups
0:21:06 > 0:21:09about derelict buildings you've seen.
0:21:10 > 0:21:12Back in Lincoln, I am with Mike and Angela
0:21:12 > 0:21:16who have taken on an abandoned chapel in the attached house
0:21:16 > 0:21:19that they plan to combine and turn into a sizeable family home.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22They're just starting to put plans together,
0:21:22 > 0:21:24so I'm going to introduce them to a couple
0:21:24 > 0:21:26who've done a large conversion
0:21:26 > 0:21:29and can hopefully offer some useful advice.
0:21:29 > 0:21:31All right, guys, this is the place I want you to see.
0:21:32 > 0:21:35It's quite an unusual home in that
0:21:35 > 0:21:38this was originally a collection of different buildings.
0:21:38 > 0:21:40We are on the edge of a farm here.
0:21:40 > 0:21:42You are about to meet Dean and Louise.
0:21:42 > 0:21:44And this was a chicken shed,
0:21:44 > 0:21:49it was stables, it was hay loft and a sort of pig shed.
0:21:50 > 0:21:54So, it has been fully converted into their family home.
0:21:54 > 0:21:56They finished at just over four years ago.
0:21:56 > 0:21:59It was never designed to be lived in, and that's the challenge
0:21:59 > 0:22:01we'll come across with the chapel.
0:22:01 > 0:22:02So they've got a few good ideas.
0:22:02 > 0:22:04You can see how they've done things.
0:22:04 > 0:22:06And I hope it could be quite useful for you
0:22:06 > 0:22:08at this ideas stage of your project.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11Yeah. OK? Shall we go and say hello? Let's do it. Come on then.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17Louise Carpenter's dream for her parents' out-buildings,
0:22:17 > 0:22:19goes right back to childhood
0:22:19 > 0:22:22when the residents of the barns were her treasured chickens.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25Years later when she and husband Dean were planning a family,
0:22:25 > 0:22:29Louise hatched a plan to turn the barns into her home.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32Growing up here I always knew I wanted to renovate this property,
0:22:32 > 0:22:36because I just knew the building was a great space and would make a fantastic home.
0:22:36 > 0:22:38I was quite excited, to be honest.
0:22:38 > 0:22:40I'm not a big chicken fan,
0:22:40 > 0:22:43but I know Louise was very eager to do it,
0:22:43 > 0:22:45and it was a good challenge.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48If you take on a restoration project of any kind
0:22:48 > 0:22:51you have got to be passionate about whatever it is you're doing.
0:22:51 > 0:22:55It's got to be your dream that you want to see through to the end.
0:22:55 > 0:22:57Having bought the barns from Louise's parents,
0:22:57 > 0:23:01they immediately worked on the tricky plans for combining
0:23:01 > 0:23:04the buildings into one family home.
0:23:04 > 0:23:08To actually turn what was a chicken shed
0:23:08 > 0:23:11along with past-use stables for horses and pigs -
0:23:11 > 0:23:13to turn that into a home,
0:23:13 > 0:23:18you had to have a real good vision of what you wanted it to look like
0:23:18 > 0:23:20before we even started the process.
0:23:20 > 0:23:24Having never housed people before, the barns were uninhabitable,
0:23:24 > 0:23:27but with a renovation budget of ?260,000,
0:23:27 > 0:23:29and some careful planning,
0:23:29 > 0:23:32they turned the chicken sheds into a modern home.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35The biggest issues that we came across when doing this project,
0:23:35 > 0:23:37was the planning application.
0:23:37 > 0:23:41We had such an issue with what we actually wanted,
0:23:41 > 0:23:43and what we were allowed from the planning office.
0:23:43 > 0:23:47There were obviously lots of things that we had to go back and think about again.
0:23:47 > 0:23:51Our first ideas didn't come to fruition.
0:23:51 > 0:23:53I love the fact that we now live in
0:23:53 > 0:23:56what was a shed that housed our chickens,
0:23:56 > 0:23:58and I think the chickens are really pleased
0:23:58 > 0:24:01because they've got a brand-new palace.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04We still hear them every morning. Yeah.
0:24:04 > 0:24:05Hello?
0:24:08 > 0:24:10Hiya. Hi. How are you?
0:24:10 > 0:24:12Come on in. Thank you very much.
0:24:12 > 0:24:16I'm confident this barn renovation will give Mike and Angela some ideas
0:24:16 > 0:24:20and extra knowledge when it comes to tackling their chapel conversion.
0:24:20 > 0:24:24Very good! This is quite impressive, isn't it? Yeah, it's lovely.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27I think there's a clue why we brought you here.
0:24:27 > 0:24:29Any ideas? Mezzanine. Yeah, mezzanine?
0:24:29 > 0:24:32Mezzanine. What's your first impressions?
0:24:32 > 0:24:35It's gorgeous. Yeah, I really like it. Absolutely.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38Well, we wanted to keep this room, which was the original barn.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41We wanted to keep the height in this room.
0:24:41 > 0:24:43And we also needed to get up there into the bedrooms,
0:24:43 > 0:24:45and it was the easiest way.
0:24:45 > 0:24:47And the ceiling would have been very low in here
0:24:47 > 0:24:51if we'd had a room on top.
0:24:51 > 0:24:55OK. And you chose to go with glass? Deliberate?
0:24:55 > 0:24:59It was, because we struggled with light in this room.
0:24:59 > 0:25:00We liked the look of the wood as well.
0:25:00 > 0:25:03We just thought it worked really well, it was quite in keeping.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06ANGELA: Yeah, if it was...a chrome banister or something,
0:25:06 > 0:25:08it wouldn't have the same feel.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11It's contemporary, but it's traditional at the same time.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14I wouldn't have thought of glass either. And it does work really well.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16When you do start from scratch,
0:25:16 > 0:25:18like you have - and these guys are too, with a chapel -
0:25:18 > 0:25:21what decisions did you have about heating?
0:25:21 > 0:25:23It's all underfloor heating.
0:25:23 > 0:25:25It's absolutely great for us,
0:25:25 > 0:25:29because the heat rises. When you've got big spaces to fill,
0:25:29 > 0:25:33they're not draughty, at all, because the whole of the floor is heated.
0:25:33 > 0:25:35You've obviously built that chimney breast in?
0:25:35 > 0:25:37That's right, we have.
0:25:37 > 0:25:39That's not original, obviously.
0:25:39 > 0:25:44And we needed a double skin of bricks, so that's why we opted for that.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47Would you like something similar?
0:25:47 > 0:25:50Are you thinking a wood burner...? Yes. Yes.
0:25:50 > 0:25:53How happy are you with it? Now it's done,
0:25:53 > 0:25:56do you look at it and think, "Yeah, that's just right." Yeah.
0:25:56 > 0:25:57All the time. Love it.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00Of an evening, when I sat down, I always look round
0:26:00 > 0:26:02and can't believe we've done it, really.
0:26:02 > 0:26:04Yeah. Great, let's see some more, shall we?
0:26:07 > 0:26:10It's clear from the stunning layout downstairs
0:26:10 > 0:26:14that Louise and Dean took real care during the planning phase to utilise
0:26:14 > 0:26:16the space and ceiling height.
0:26:16 > 0:26:20And the same thought and care went into the children's room upstairs as well.
0:26:22 > 0:26:27So this is clearly your very open-plan kitchen-diner.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30And you wanted this spectacle, looking out on your garden,
0:26:30 > 0:26:32and getting that light in as well.
0:26:32 > 0:26:36We knew with it being so short of light in the living room area,
0:26:36 > 0:26:40we knew that, coming in here, we pretty much needed it all glass.
0:26:40 > 0:26:42That was what we were aiming for.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45Well, guys, thank you for your time. It's been amazing to see your place.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48And it is quite incredible what you can do with a chicken barn.
0:26:48 > 0:26:52So, congratulations, and thanks for your advice, as well.
0:26:55 > 0:26:57So, guys, how have you found it looking around here today?
0:26:57 > 0:27:01It is obviously not a chapel, but the are quite a few similarities.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04Yeah. I've certainly got a bit more inspiration than I had before.
0:27:04 > 0:27:07Yeah, brilliant. I have really enjoyed it, actually.
0:27:07 > 0:27:11It's nice to chat to people and get ideas. Yes, it's been really good.
0:27:11 > 0:27:14Because I suspect you are all very much into structure,
0:27:14 > 0:27:16and you can see how this pieces together.
0:27:16 > 0:27:18And maybe you were struggling a bit.
0:27:18 > 0:27:19Especially the finishing touches.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22It's so far away, it's difficult to visualise.
0:27:22 > 0:27:25Has this helped with that? It's helped.
0:27:25 > 0:27:27I still struggle to imagine it like that,
0:27:27 > 0:27:30but, you know, that is the sort of finish I'm looking for.
0:27:30 > 0:27:33So I can certainly imagine it a bit more now, I think.
0:27:33 > 0:27:35Good, well there's a lot of looking and things to do.
0:27:35 > 0:27:37You've got a busy few months ahead of you.
0:27:37 > 0:27:41But hopefully this helps, hopefully it unifies the vision a little bit,
0:27:41 > 0:27:44or gives you a few ideas to try out on paper.
0:27:44 > 0:27:46And good luck with it.
0:27:48 > 0:27:50I think today has worked out really well.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53Clearly Mike and Angela are hungry for ideas,
0:27:53 > 0:27:55and there's inspiration aplenty here.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58This style of the mezzanine, the use of space,
0:27:58 > 0:28:02the open-plan living - there's lots to take away.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05And quite frankly, yes, they've got a lot of work ahead of them
0:28:05 > 0:28:07but they have a truly spectacular property.
0:28:07 > 0:28:10And I have a feeling they'll make of great job of it
0:28:10 > 0:28:15and have a very special family home before too long.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd