Grand Designs

7:30pm – Sunday, February 26 on ABC1

Claire Farrow and her husband Ian Hogarth have always dreamed of building a house large enough for a dance floor and DJ booth. That’s a tall order in London where plots are as scarce as hen’s teeth. All they can find is a tiny scrap of land carved out of someone’s back garden at the end of a mews. The plot is right next to a mainline railway, hemmed in on all sides by neighbours and trees and it sits on top of an old riverbed.

Claire and Ian have planning permission to build a tiny mews house, a third of the size of what they need for themselves, their two children and the full sized state-of-the-art dance floor.

Nevertheless, architect Ian specialises in making the most out of small spaces, so they take on the challenge and start to build while, with fingers crossed, they apply for permission to put in a basement.

As angry locals begin to object to Claire and Ian’s plans, things start to go awry. It is not helped when their digger smashes into a neighbour’s wall. And when the old river re-emerges underneath the basement, the site begins to resemble a swimming pool more than a house.

7:30pm – Sunday, February 19 on ABC1

Ever since he was a child, stonemason Adam Purchase has loved the old mine engine houses that characterise Cornwall’s landscape. When he and his partner Nicola Brennan chanced upon a dilapidated grade two listed engine house with planning permission to turn into a home, it was a dream come true.

But converting this important historic ruin into a place to live was never going to be easy. The building itself was little more than a shell, with crumbling plant-infested walls, no roof, windows or floors – a challenge for even the most experienced builders.

Meanwhile, Adam and Nicola have a small budget, which they both know is barely enough to get them through. Still, driven by their passion and romance for old buildings, Nicola agrees to support Adam while he takes a year off work to work on the project.

As Adam begins to painstakingly restore the building stone by stone, he soon finds himself in a race against time. As his 12 months schedule speeds by and the money drains away, Adam and Nicola rely on favours and sheer hard work to try to save this historic monument and transform it into a unique and beautiful home.

7:30pm – Sunday, February 12 on ABC1

This week Kevin McCloud follows the extraordinary story of estate manager Ed Waghorn and his wife Rowena who live a virtually selfsufficient lifestyle with their four children on a small property in Herefordshire.

Four years ago, Ed set out to build a five bedroom home for his family, with a tiny budget scrapped together from their savings.

Using recycled materials that no one else wanted, wood from the nearby forests and stone from around the site, Ed gradually sculpts an organic, hobbit-like, timber framed, curvy house on the hillside.

The house goes up ever so slowly and as the process of building becomes a way of life for Ed, Kevin can’t help wondering whether the children will grow up and leave home before the house is finished.

7:30pm – Sunday, February 5 on ABC1

Artists Freddie Robins and Ben Coode Adams are moving from one extreme to another as they leave their cramped two bedroom London flat to take on the conversion of a huge grade two listed timber-framed barn in the Essex countryside. But at seven times the size of an average three bedroom house, turning this 500-year-old building into any kind of home is a challenge.

Transforming the home into a live/work space for themselves and their daughter Willa, Ben and Freddie’s whole design is based around creating a massive free-form contemporary space with very few walls to display their ever expanding collection of toys and objects. As they begin to grapple with the sheer scale of this project they begin to question whether their quirky ideas are workable, and Kevin wonders if the cavernous barn will ever make a cosy and comfortable home.

7:30pm – Sunday, January 29 on ABC1

Over the years, Kevin McCloud has followed the restoration of all kinds of derelict structures in all kinds of locations. But this project is one of the most unusual he’s come across.

The old lifeboat station in Tenby, in Wales, was home to the brave souls of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) for over 100 years.

When they moved out, two more brave souls, Irishman Tim O’Donovan and his wife Philomena, saw an opportunity not only to convert it into a unique home but to rescue this historic building for the nation.

Nothing could have prepared Tim and Philomena for the battles they would have to fight to pull this building into shape. Perched precariously on a steel pier high above the sea with no access except across the soft sandy beach, the lifeboat station was and always will be at the mercy of the sea. Any deliveries have to be timed to beat the rapid incoming tides which often get the better of Tim’s floundering machinery. Then there’s the building itself to contend with – a weather worn, rusting and rotten hulk of a boathouse that was never designed to be lived in.

As Tim wages war on the surly structure, it falls to Philomena to transform the interior from what was once little more than a tin shed into a beautiful contemporary home.

7:30pm – Sunday, January 22 on ABC1

Paul and Penny Denby have lived on the same exclusive South London estate for nearly 20 years. They are surrounded by pioneering houses built in the arts and crafts style in the 1920s, but they are stuck in a dated 1940s mock Georgian house. Now, that is all about to change.

Paul and Penny are knocking down their house to build a much bigger contemporary mansion. With its stark white render and huge expanse of glass, this new build aspires to be an exciting and classic piece of modern architecture, as pioneering in its own way as the original houses built on the estate.

But Paul and Penny have hardly even changed the carpets in their old home, let alone built a house before. Soon the challenges of building this complex home start to kick in. Over the months, they struggle with the dozens of design decisions they must make and as the budget escalates, they can’t raise the extra money needed to finish the house.

It’s a week of summer finals and premieres on ABC1 with Nigella Kitchen, Outnumbered and Gareth Malone’s School for Extraordinary Boys all concluding during this week, while The Straits debuts on Thursday nights, as does Family Confidential and new series Accused on Saturday nights.

Grand Designs: Tenby. Sunday January 29, 7.30pm

This episode focusses on the restoration of the old lifeboat station in Tenby, Wales as Irishman Tim O’Donovan and his wife see an opportunity to not only convert the building into a unique home, but to rescue the historic building for the nation. Perched high on a steel peer above the sea, with only soft beech access, deliveries must be timed with the weather and tides.

Zen: Cabal. Sunday January 29, 8.30pm

A glamorous Roman detective series, based on the books by Michael Dibdin and starring Rufus Sewell. In this, episode two fo the series, Zen is assigned another case by the Ministry after the body of Umberto Ruspanti, a member of one of Rome’s most prominent aristocratic families is found underneath a bridge. Despite being directed to conclude it was suicide, Zen quickly suspects that murder has taken place. It is up to Zen to discover what really happened to Ruspanti.

Orchids: My Intersex Adventure. Sunday January 29, 10.00pm

This is the story of documentary filmmaker Phoebe Hart and her journey of both self discovery and finding others that share her condition of intersex with her. This condition means she can never menstruate, nor have children – a topic that was taboo in her childhood.

Ben Lee: Catch My Disease. Monday January 30, 9.30pm

This documentary examines the life of Ben Lee, a unique Australiamn artist who had written two solo albums of Dylan-inspired folk pop by 1995.

Nigella Kitchen: Can’t Live Without. Tuesday Janury 31, 8.00pm

In the final episode of this series, Nigella is sharing the secrets of food and flavours she just can’t live without including lemon, choclate and more.

The Wild Ones: Cane Toads – The Conquest. Tuesday January 31, 8.30pm

The South American cane toad was introduces into Australia in 1935 as an attempt to control the grey back cane beetle. Since then the toads have multiplied and become one of the nation’s greatest pests.

Gareth Malone’s Extraordinary School for Boys. Tuesday January 31, 9.55pm

Final Part 1. International award winner, Choirmaster Gareth Malone teaches in a primary school in Essex in the UK for one term. His mission is to tackle the gap between girls’ and boys’ literacy and his final task is to tackle the boys’ number one enemy – writing.

Outnumbered. Wednesday February 1, 8.00pm

Final. Outnumbered follows the daily chaos of family life with two parents and three young children locked in an unequal contest (hence the title). Containing elements of improvisation, this comedy is an honest portrayal of the well meaning parental incompetence that happens in most homes, as Mum (Claire Skinner) and Dad (Hugh Dennis) attempt to raise their kids with the minimum of emotional damage for all concerned.

Family Confidential. Thursday February 2, 8.00pm

New series. Family Confidential returns for its second season, inviting you into the homes of six of Australia’s most powerful and intriguing families, including The Nolls (singer Shannon and family), The Courtenays (of author Bryce Courtenay), The Dingos (actor Ernie, wife Sally), The Holmes à Courts (billionaire widow Janet and sons Peter and Paul), The Jacobsens (entertainment legend Kevin) and The Casellas (founders of Australia’s wealthiest family wine company with the Yellow Tail label). First episode looks at the Nolls.

The Straits. Thursday February 2, 8.30pm

New Australian Series.

Set among the turquoise waters and lethal wildlife of Australia’s Far North Queensland and the Torres Strait, The Straits is an exotic, darkly humorous crime drama.

The Montebello’s family business is transporting drugs into Australia and guns and exotic wildlife out – using ties of blood and loyalty in the Torres Strait Islands.

When Harry (Brian Cox) starts to plan his succession a power struggle is sparked between brothers Noel (Aaron Fa’Aoso), Marou (Jimi Bani), and Gary (Firass Dirani), and wife Kitty (Rena Owen) and daughter Sissi (Suzannah Bayes-Morton).

Tonight’s two-hour feature length premiere comprises:

Ep 1:-The Proposition

Harry announces his unexpected succession plan. Supported by his mother, Noel expands the family’s operations, without his father’s knowledge, by setting up a methamphetamine lab in PNG. This leads to conflict with the DC outlaw motorcycle gang and the family’s lives are threatened.

Ep 2:-The Trouble With Raskols
When a PNG raskol dies after Noel’s meth lab explodes, the dead raskol’s brother goes to the family’s home on Zey Island intent on revenge.

Gary flees to Cairns prompting Harry, Marou and Noel to go to PNG to square things with the raskols and the expat Chinese trader, Quay Lin (Sri Sacdpraseuth).

Meanwhile, Sissi starts work with the family’s accountant Paddy (Kim Gyngell) and discovers that Paddy has been embezzling money from the family for years.

And Marou’s wife Lola (Emma Lung) puts in place a plan to blackmail Gary into supporting Marou as future head of the family business.

Golf: Australian Ladies Masters 2012: Third Round. Saturday February 4, 2.00pm

ABC TV will broadcast back to back for the first time Australia’s two major golf tournaments for women – the 2012 Australian Ladies Masters (February 4 and 5) and the 2012 Women’s Australian Open (February 9,10,11 and 12).

Accused: Helen’s Story. Saturday February 4, 8.30pm

A series of six unflinching contemporary stories from acclaimed writer Jimmy McGovern that boasts a stellar cast.

McGovern, who is currently working with ABC TV on a major new series Redfern Now is also the creator of the award-winning series Cracker and The Street.

In Accused, each story is about an ordinary person who ends up in the court dock. But should these men and women be there? Are they innocent or guilty or somewhere in-between? As each hour-long episode unravels we see how these people became the accused and finally whether they walk free or go down…

In this story, teacher Helen Ryland (Juliet Stevenson) is distraught to discover her only son has been killed during his first day of work at a local factory. While her husband Frank (Peter Capaldi) is consumed by grief, she sets out to discover how the accident happened. However, when questioning of a witness and the facility’s owner proves fruitless, and the process of getting someone to accept responsibility drags on, she resorts to desperate measures.

7:30pm – Sunday, January 15 on ABC1

Kevin McCloud meets Stefan Lepkowski and his partner Ania Schabowska as they take on the restoration and rebuilding of an old watermill in the stunning Northumberland countryside.

Trying to do as much of the work as possible himself while running his marketing business, Stefan tries to restore the old Georgian cottage, rebuild the original watermill and join the two with a contemporary zinc and glass building.

Stefan is passionate about this project and refuses to compromise on quality and craftsmanship, and within months realises that his budget and schedule are way too ambitious. His budget is too small and his schedule is too short.

As the building slowly materialises, Kevin questions the heavy architecture of the building linking the watermill and the cottage, likening it to something designed by a tank engineer.

As the British recession deepens, the banks refuse to lend Stefan money he was relying on to finish the build and the project runs from two years into almost five years. In the meantime, he and Ania get married, spend their honeymoon camping on site, and have two children.

This is the longest running project Grand Designs has ever followed.

7:30pm – Sunday, October 9 on ABC1

Over ten years ago, in one of the first episodes of Grand Designs, Andrew Tate and Deborah Mills found a site with a monstrous, dilapidated water tower on it.

Unusually, they saw it as the perfect spot to build a contemporary family home and convert the old water tower into a seven-storey bedroom wing.

Andrew is a commercial architect and so the modern new build went up in just four months, using fast-track building methods alongside unconventional building materials. However, things were not so easy when it came to the water tower – a doorway they expected to be made in two days, took two weeks.

Kevin went back to see Andrew and Deborah three years after they had moved into their contemporary extension, but they had still made no progress on the water tower and were living with minimal bedroom space.

Now, a decade later, Kevin returns again to see if the water tower conversion has finally happened, and if their dream home has worked out just as they envisaged all that time ago.

7:30pm – Sunday, October 2 on ABC1

In April 2008 Daren Howarth and partner Adi Nortje moved from Brighton (UK) to Brittany in France to take on a huge life experiment to build an earth-sheltered home almost entirely from recycled materials and to live as sustainably as possible.

Based on ideas pioneered in the 1970s in New Mexico their main building blocks were old tyres packed with rammed earth.

But this very low tech house required lots of low tech energy to build it. To keep costs down Daren and Adi enlisted the help of a bunch of unskilled volunteers to help them, in exchange for teaching them the techniques. All very admirable, but with the main components of this build being rubbish and mud, the danger was that the house would end up looking like a hobbit house.

Daren and Adi moved into their Earthship-inspired house in February 2009.

After eighteen months Kevin returns to see whether this house has enabled Daren and Adi to live sustainably and to see if their big life experiment has been a success.