A former council semi-detached house in St Albans, Hertfordshire, has become an unlikely internet sensation and the subject of fierce debate after being listed for sale with a price tag of £850,000.
A House of Two Halves
The red-brick 1950s property, bought for £296,000 in 2012 by owners Sujal and Tina Patel, presents a completely unremarkable frontage on Nelson Avenue. However, the rear of the home tells a radically different story. It features a towering two-storey extension, described in planning documents as a "modest scheme," which erupts into a sharp, white-rendered wedge. This 5.2-metre-long addition boasts floor-to-ceiling 'cathedral' windows, timber cladding and artificial grass, creating a stark contrast with the original building.
As images of the four-bedroom house circulated online, critics were quick to pour scorn on the design. The jarring aesthetic led social media users to brand it "a UFO crashed into a suburban terrace" and the "Toblerone from hell." Others called it "dreadful," "sterile," and "ghastly," with one commenter dryly noting it was "perfectly in-keeping with the street aesthetic." A popular summary of the design dichotomy was: "Council out the front, Grand Designs at the back."
Planning Permission Amid Neighbour Objections
Despite the online mockery, the striking extension was granted planning permission by St Albans City and District Council in 2019. This approval came despite formal objections from immediate neighbours, Lehna and Matthew Gardiner. They warned that the structure's "extreme height and depth" would "dominate the outlook" from their living room, kitchen, bedroom, and garden, leaving them feeling "hemmed in." They also raised concerns about a loss of privacy and light.
Planning officers acknowledged the extension's "unusual design" but concluded it would not "unacceptably harm" the neighbours. The council stated the proposal was "acceptable in terms of its size and scale" and that its rear location minimised the impact on the local area's character. Notably, other neighbours submitted letters in support of the 2019 application, praising its "modern and innovative style."
A High-Spec Home with a Slashed Price
Fully rebuilt and remodelled in 2022, the property is now marketed as a high-specification, energy-efficient smart home. The sales listing boasts features including resin flooring, microcement bathrooms, wet underfloor heating throughout, and a Control4 smart home system. Owners Sujal and Tina Patel, a 40-year-old and a 41-year-old solicitor respectively, hail it as "a modern, energy-efficient home that combines technology with comfort."
The asking price was initially set at £900,000 but was reduced to £850,000 in November. Amid the criticism, some online commentators defended the property, pointing out its location in the desirable Marshalswick area of St Albans, with outstanding schools nearby. One supporter argued that similar, more attractive semis in the area sell for over £1 million, while another noted a nearby house had a similarly sized, albeit older, extension.
The saga has ignited a broader discussion about UK planning regulations, architectural taste, and the value of modern interventions in traditional suburban streets.
