Grand Designs: The Street — inside the minimalist upside-down home and the 'most expensive house' attempted so far

Grand Designs: The Street is already hugely popular with viewers who are inspired by the innovative designs of the first 10 self-builds in this experimental scheme.

The six-part series follows what is thought to be the UK's largest self-build project, as 10 households attempt to build and create a new street.

Five years in the making, the experiment is set on Graven Hill, a stretch of land close to Bicester and just 14 miles from Oxford.

Each set of participants bought a plot of land for £100,000, on which they were tasked with self-building their own home.

In the latest episode of the show, two couples are keen to put their own stamp on their plot of land on the street, with one couple taking on a pricey self-build and another facing a long-distance build.

Taking over plot 10 of the experimental scheme, married couple Garrie and Sue are hoping to build a four-bedroom house more suited to their needs.

Former foster carer Sue has severe osteoporosis and their previous home became unsuitable for her. Instead, the ambitious couple are planning a new three-storey home with a lift, which will transform their lives.

The self-build project is also a lifelong dream for chartered accountant Garrie, who has always wanted to build his own home. However, their house, The Glass House, is the street’s most expensive property. With an estimated build cost of £435k, will the couple stick to budget?

Further along the street, engineers Sean and Dianna are planning to build an open-plan upside-down house with a minimalist design.

Originally from Warwickshire, most elements of their innovative home will be built off-site and assembled on their plot. However, with Dianna working in Russia, this is a long-distance build for the couple.

Their three-bedroom property, taking over plot seven of the Grand Designs street, is estimated to cost £300k.

The experimental scheme will eventually be home to social housing, custom-builds and self-builds to create a whole community from what was once a field.

Over the next 10 years, 1,900 houses will be built on the site, with housing options for all budgets and skill levels.

Eager homeowners who want to put their own stamp on a property at Graven Hill can self-build their own home from scratch like the show’s participants, while those wanting a new home without having to get involved in the construction process can customise one of the new-build houses available in the scheme.

The project will also include open-plan apartments in the village centre, within walking distance of Bicester train station, plus 32 shared-ownership homes as part of the first wave of affordable housing in the area.

Grand Designs: The Street airs on Thursday evenings on Channel 4