An underground reservoir is to be transformed into a £2 million luxury house under innovative plans drawn up by a Bolton developer.
Anthony Whittle’s company, Harwood Homes, is behind the idea to create a five-bedroom luxury home beneath a field in Harwood.
If he gets the backing of Bolton Council, the house — dubbed the “Womble project†would become the town’s first subterranean residence.
The council rejected a similar proposal by Manchester United footballer Gary Neville for a house in nearby Harry Fold Farm that would have been partially underground.
Unlike tha proposal, Mr Whittle’s plot is not on green belt land and does not include wind turbines — a major sticking point for critics of Mr Neville’s plan.
Mr Whittle, of Brookfold Lane, Harwood, said: “Though it was turned down, council officers supported the Harry Fold Farm plan largely on the basis that it represented a truly outstanding and groundbreaking design. We believe that the same applies to this proposal.â€
His vision has been dubbed the “Womble project†after the 1970s Womble characters who lived underground and were good to the environment.
Bolton Council bought the New Hey site in the early 1960s and turned it into an underground reservoir in 1963.
With its thick concrete walls, it was designed to store up to 12 million litres of water in case of a water shortage but it was never used and United Utilities, which now manages the North West’s water supply, sold it to Harwood Homes for £21,000.
The reservoir is roughly 40m wide, 40m long and 5.4m high.
Mr Whittle, a director of Harwood Homes, said: “It looks like an unused underground multi-storey car park and I believe it has huge potential.
“The idea is to build a fivebedroom house underground and open some of the land up to the south so there is some natural light.
“The house will have a courtyard, a swimming pool and possibly a panic room.
“If we put it on the open market, we have been told it could fetch in the region of £2 million.
“We are very excited about this idea and we have contacted the Channel 4 architecture show Grand Designs to see if they want to feature the construction.
“We think this building will result in little visible change of the landâ€.
Bradshaw representative Cllr Walter Hall said: “It does sound like a very interesting proposal and I am very much looking forward to viewing it in detail.â€
This was my very first explore, and my very first attempt at photos in total darkness so please excuse the shonky lighting.......
Anthony Whittle’s company, Harwood Homes, is behind the idea to create a five-bedroom luxury home beneath a field in Harwood.
If he gets the backing of Bolton Council, the house — dubbed the “Womble project†would become the town’s first subterranean residence.
The council rejected a similar proposal by Manchester United footballer Gary Neville for a house in nearby Harry Fold Farm that would have been partially underground.
Unlike tha proposal, Mr Whittle’s plot is not on green belt land and does not include wind turbines — a major sticking point for critics of Mr Neville’s plan.
Mr Whittle, of Brookfold Lane, Harwood, said: “Though it was turned down, council officers supported the Harry Fold Farm plan largely on the basis that it represented a truly outstanding and groundbreaking design. We believe that the same applies to this proposal.â€
His vision has been dubbed the “Womble project†after the 1970s Womble characters who lived underground and were good to the environment.
Bolton Council bought the New Hey site in the early 1960s and turned it into an underground reservoir in 1963.
With its thick concrete walls, it was designed to store up to 12 million litres of water in case of a water shortage but it was never used and United Utilities, which now manages the North West’s water supply, sold it to Harwood Homes for £21,000.
The reservoir is roughly 40m wide, 40m long and 5.4m high.
Mr Whittle, a director of Harwood Homes, said: “It looks like an unused underground multi-storey car park and I believe it has huge potential.
“The idea is to build a fivebedroom house underground and open some of the land up to the south so there is some natural light.
“The house will have a courtyard, a swimming pool and possibly a panic room.
“If we put it on the open market, we have been told it could fetch in the region of £2 million.
“We are very excited about this idea and we have contacted the Channel 4 architecture show Grand Designs to see if they want to feature the construction.
“We think this building will result in little visible change of the landâ€.
Bradshaw representative Cllr Walter Hall said: “It does sound like a very interesting proposal and I am very much looking forward to viewing it in detail.â€
This was my very first explore, and my very first attempt at photos in total darkness so please excuse the shonky lighting.......
