It’s frequently the most viewed property on Rightmove by property enthusiasts but now it seems the most expensive residence in the UK is in danger of being knocked down.Updown Court, a 24 bedroom mansion in Surrey, was put up for sale in 2005 and has remained on the market ever since. With a £70million price tag you’d expect a lot for your money - with 103 rooms (yes you read correctly – 103 rooms!), 5 swimming pools, a heated driveway and an underground bowling alley, this flashy estate doesn’t disappoint.
The lavish property boasts 11 acres of garden, 46 acres of woodland and a security system to rival number 10! As you’d imagine, the interior is just as spectacular – grand interior designs and mosaics, a banqueting hall and a pair of sweeping staircases that are a replica to those in the late Gianni Versace’s home, make this home unparalleled in both scale and indulgence.
But it seems that the 50,000ft2 of real estate (bigger than Buckingham Palace!) isn’t everybody’s cup of tea. Updown Court is now effectively owned by the Irish state since the collapse of the bank that funded its construction. It’s said to cost £60,000 a month to run the property and many see demolition as the best option as it’s clear that no serious offers are likely to be made on such an extravagant property.
So if you happen to have a few million quid lying around and you fancy living the life of luxury then act quick as this flamboyant home could soon be £70million worth of rubble!
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August 26th, 2011 at 5:26 pm
Quite possibly the ugliest house in Europe. Good riddance to it.
August 26th, 2011 at 9:08 pm
I wish you wouldn’t put pictures of my weekend retreat on the internet for all and sundry to see, Could of cleaned the window love !!!
August 27th, 2011 at 12:28 am
What idiot wanted this built, and what planning officer passed it? Ridiculous.
August 27th, 2011 at 3:48 am
What absolute sickness to demolish such craftsmanship and beauty, to be replaced by what one wonders?… Hmmm, not another, for want of a better word, ‘estate’ of the ever-increasing ‘town houses’ that are popping up all over Britain and have already popped up along Eire’s beautiful coastline, with, it seems a large majority still empty as they have been since they appeared. They are intended to be pleasing to the eye with an aura of an historical look about them and at very first sight of them could well pass as such, but this initial euphoric thought is soon dampened when one begins to have the same vision around most corners turned until a nauseus sickening as the realisation of ones initial thought hits home and one questions the very idea that such a thought could have been made at all. It could be deja-vous couldn’t it? one certainly hopes so; Unfortunately deja-vous it is not because, they are real, and appear to ‘grow’ overnight, as if by magic. The only magic is left in this beauty that someone once lived in and wouldn’t anyone secretly aspire to spending a day, only a day please, just give me one day, please, in such grandeur and garish beauty merely to dream and wonder of the vastness of everything that one can only dream about and doesn’t actually believe for a moment exists and that some people acxtually have to themselves. I would be happy to pay an entrance fee for a peek at how it must have been to reside in such ostentatious surroundings, coupled with the inevitable day dream or two. Sadly I will have to dream on and not think about the nightmare of the reality of what is most likely to happen to it and whatever one may think of it, perhaps a tad garish for some, but one cannot deny that it is undoubtedly spectacular at the very least, and after all who would actually want to reside there, it is there for us to dream about because we know it will never become a reality and does anyone really want it to be? I think not, so it should be kept as it is in order that we can carry on dreaming as dreams are a necessity to us all and must be kept alive.
August 27th, 2011 at 8:06 am
can they not turn it into apartments or flats or some other type of building or even sell lottery tickets for it or even one room it seems such a waist to destroy such a lovely house once its gone its gone forever remember that its gone forever or even reduce the price to a more atractive price better to sell it than destroy it . once its gone its gone forever john
August 27th, 2011 at 8:13 am
Why on earth dont’t they subdivide it and sell it off in more affordable chunks? Demolishing a £70m house when so many people can’t get on the property ladder at all is beyond ludicrous.
August 27th, 2011 at 8:57 am
scott let’s buy it.dad
August 27th, 2011 at 9:00 am
70 million is not a lot of money for the politicians of many poor countries.
August 27th, 2011 at 10:30 am
Well I guess since Colonel Gadaffi has probably curtailed his proerty search there isn’t anyone left who would take it…
August 27th, 2011 at 1:00 pm
There is an opportunity to set up an extremely high end business here!Boutique hotel or similar? Health spa? I can’t see anyone being able to buy it (or wanting to buy it as a home. Parts of it are beautiful but other parts are ugly! Money doesn’t buy good taste!
August 27th, 2011 at 3:25 pm
Tasteless and crass. Not even a footballer would want it!!
August 27th, 2011 at 8:08 pm
Shows the mentality of the kind of people running our banks – why was such a property even allowed to be built??? a fine example of the lack of brains and common sense of todays so called professionals.
August 28th, 2011 at 11:06 am
They cant let it be knocked down if i had the money i would snap it up in a heartbeat. I would love to live in a house like this
August 28th, 2011 at 4:14 pm
What a stupid comment. I’m sure it’s a darn site better than your house.
August 29th, 2011 at 9:57 pm
what a disgrace when there is so much poverty here in the uk! give it to a childrens’ charity.
August 31st, 2011 at 10:52 am
It could be made into a tourist attraction ?
September 2nd, 2011 at 12:06 pm
It has some nice angles, I could probably slum it there when i’m in the UK for business, but that 10 pin bowling alley is so gauche it would simply have to go!
September 9th, 2011 at 2:56 pm
I think this house is beautiful and the grounds with it. I can see a use for this property but unfortunately I am unable to stump up anything unless I have a large win on the Euro Lottery.
My purpose would be to help others. I cannot say more at this point and wait with baited breath hoping it will not be destroyed.
September 14th, 2011 at 3:45 pm
Please, please do not sell this property to a personal buyer for personal use. It is meant for the nation and the beauty of the grounds and inside is meant for the greater good of the British people.
There are a number of causes it could be used for but may not be possible to mix causes together. The reason it was built in the first place screams out what it should be used for. Wake up millionaires out there because I am there tomorrow if and when I get enough funds.
It needs to be kept in Trust i.e. National Trust for the right cause to come along. Beware any personal buyers – think again !! Do not destroy beauty – a lot of work, thought etc has gone into this. Behaviour of an uncontrolled 2 year old or teenager in knocking it down is a “criminal” idea. We have had enough destruction – creation has been put into it therefore therapy here would be of immense value.
Hold on as long as possible.
September 25th, 2011 at 7:30 am
Perhaps I’m missing something here but if you can’t sell something you reduce the price, even if it incurs a loss. You don’t go to more expense knocking it down. I’m trying to sell my gite complex in France, unsold so far. I know, I think I’ll knock it down. Also I’m just wondering if I offered £35m would that be accepted. Oh, just rememebered, I haven’t got £35m, easy to forget. Actually I don’t believe this story.
September 26th, 2011 at 9:47 am
Total waste of time building that and i am not at all suprised it has not sold. Hilarious to think 5 swimming pools seemed like a good idea at the time though! Chins.