For sale: The most talked about house in this Yorkshire seaside resort

What was a tiny bungalow on a hillside overlooking Oliver's Mount is now the most talked about house in Scarborough.

Howard's Heights is a £3m contemporary “castle” that has taken over a decade to complete thanks to the determination of its owner Lee Keenan

“I have been in property development most of my life and it's something that was initially started in partnership with my father, who sadly passed away some fourteen years ago. We had done numerous projects together over the years but nothing on the scale of Howard's Heights.

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“It is situated on the very outskirts of town but not a million miles from civilisation and so offered that ideal combination of rural seclusion without isolation.”

The design of the property was inspired by a toy castle that Lee and his father had always seen as a good luck charm.

“My aim was to build something that resembled a modern day castle. We discussed ideas with an architect friend of mine and commenced a difficult ten-year build, which involved carving a landscape from the hillside and cliff face and constructing our stunning new home.”

The property has an entrance with double-height glass atrium, a sitting room with views across woodland, a family room with views over Oliver's Mount, a dining room, a kitchen/breakfast room with Neff appliances and bi-fold doors and a fully-equipped Precor gym.

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On the first floor, there is a master bedroom with en-suite and roof terrace, three more en-suite bedrooms and a family bathroom.

The house also has underfloor heating, air conditioning, solar panels and a smart heating system.

Outside, there is a single and a double garage and a large parking area.

The painstaking attention to detail extends to the grounds. The majority of the space has been hard landscaped to reduce maintenance.

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“We wanted to create a Mediterranean look and feel so we've imported hardy palm trees. We've also added a large koi pond that is fed by a waterfall that has been carved into the cliff face. It provides a dramatic and very beautiful feature,” says Lee, who is selling to relocate.

The final touch was to name the house in memory of his father.

He says: “I'm positive that he would have loved it and been very proud of my achievements.

“For my partner, moving will be nothing but sorrow. I'll miss Scarborough and Yorkshire and I will miss the house that I have put ten years of hard work creating. It's very special to my heart but I'm a person who looks towards future dreams and new ventures to come.”

*Contact: Fine and Country, York, tel: 01904 571195, fineandcountry.com

Howard's Heights, Scarborough

Price: £3m

Fine and Country, York

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