Home 'fit for TV' approved in Erewash village

A large modern house complete with indoor swimming pool dubbed ‘fit for TV’ and an ‘architectural masterpiece’ has been approved in a Derbyshire village.

Erewash borough councillors approved the plans from the de Saegar family to build a two-storey futuristic four-bed house in Windy Lane, Little Eaton.

The new home would sit on the same plot as a former bungalow owned by the family which was last occupied in 2014 and was subsequently burned down in an arson attack in 2017, with the large hillside Green Belt site now extensively overgrown and unkempt.

Martin de Saegar, on behalf of the family, told the meeting that his wife and brother had inherited the site from their mother following her death and “hope to restore the site to a lovely family home”.

He said the site had once housed 25 dogs which were presented at shows across the country, along with rare breeds of poultry but since the site was destroyed “nature has taken over”.

Cllr Harry Aitkinson said: “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder but this is an exquisite design. I wish you the best of luck.”

Cllr Wayne Major said the building was “clearly an architectural masterpiece, it is very impressive” but said the Green Belt needed to be protected from an increase in housing, outside of the village boundary.

Cllr Kate Fennelly said: “This is an absolutely fabulous building. I am not sure I have seen anything like this apart from on the TV.”

Meanwhile, Cllr Margaret Griffiths quipped “Thunderbirds are go,” referencing the 1960s TV show involving a futuristic international rescue team with high-tech vehicles.

Cllr Harrison Broadhurst said: “I happen to think it looks rather good. It is good to see modern architecture crop up now and again so I am rather enthusiastic about this.”

Plans for the scheme show an indoor swimming pool, a home gym and changing room, indoor courtyard and four bedrooms and two dressing rooms.

The property was approved by a vote of 11 for and one against.