This fabulous and award winning self-built house in Ilkley is now on the market

The award-winning grand design is on the market for £1.65m after owners John and Jane Abram decided to move closer to their daughter and son-in-law who live in Cheshire. They also plan to downsize, though last time they tried they only managed a five per cent reduction in space after selling their large period home to buy a self-build plot.

There are no regrets as while their contemporary new-build home on Ben Rhydding Road is spacious with exceptional views, it is also far more energy efficient than the old property ever was.

“At 4,000 sq.ft it has a similar square footage to the Victorian house but it is considerably cheaper to run,” says John. “It is extremely well insulated and although we have underfloor heating, it’s hardly ever on.”

Along with the location and the contemporary good looks, fuel efficiency is now a big selling point, though winning the Ilkley Civic Society Design Award in 2014 and the RIBA 2015 Yorkshire Award also speaks volumes about the property.

The Abrams self-build journey began when a parcel of land came on the market just after the sale of their old home. The previous owner had demolished a dated house on the site and already had planning permission to build a new property. That design wasn’t to the couple’s liking, so they engaged an architect to come up with a better idea before going to Bradford Council to seek approval for the plan.