Bondage bolthole by the sea: Fifty Shades of Grey author EL James bulldozes £1.1M Cornish bungalow to build clifftop mansion worth more than £2M
- EXCLUSIVE: The property is just a few miles from Cornwall’s ‘Hollywood-on-Sea’
The super-rich writer of Fifty Shades of Grey has stepped into the world of Hollywood A-listers after building her own luxury modern mansion on the Cornish coast.
Multi-millionaire erotic romance novelist E.L James has more than doubled the value of her idyllic hideaway after demolishing a £1.1 million bungalow and replacing it with a vast state-of the-art beach home.
The property, which overlooks the sea in a pretty coastal village, sits between two other futuristic houses – one of which was recently valued at more than £2 million.
Its contemporary design would provide a fitting bolthole for Christian Grey – the bondage-loving billionaire who helped turn James into a global publishing sensation.
While there’s no sex dungeon on the lower ground floor, there is a huge cinema room where James can hold screenings of her blockbuster movies.
Multi-millionaire erotic romance novelist E.L James has more than doubled the value of her idyllic hideaway after demolishing a £1.1 million bungalow and replacing it with a vast state-of the-art beach home
E.L James is the latest famous resident of a Cornish area that has been dubbed ‘Hollywood-on-Sea’
The fictional entrepreneur, who is said to be a world leader in sustainable energy, would also approve of the property’s eco-friendly gadgets.
They include two air source heat pumps as well as a biomass dry fuel room and solar electricity panels known as photovoltaics.
The property is just a few miles down the coast from Mawgan Porth – the Cornwall seaside village dubbed ‘Hollywood-on-Sea’ after a recent influx of movie stars and celebrities.
Actor Jamie Dornan – who played Grey in the movie franchise – is said to be among stars who have bought properties in the area along with Oscar-winner Cate Blanchett, Jason Statham and Aquaman star Jason Momoa.
Locals have complained the invasion by wealthy part-time residents is driving up property prices.
There have been concerns that traditional seaside houses and bungalows are rapidly being replaced by huge glass-fronted, ultra-modern James Bond-style mansions.
Cornwall has the largest number of second homes in England, outside of London, and the number continues to rise.
E.L James’ novel 50 Shades of Grey is phenomenally popular and has sold millions of copies around the world
Actor Jamie Dornan (pictured in the film, right) – who played Grey in the movie franchise – is said to be among stars who have bought properties in the area
The house is located a short walking distance from local shops and the popular beach
Mother-of-two James, who turned 60 in March, bought the land along with her screenwriter husband Niall Leonard in 2014.
Planning permission was granted to flatten the rundown cottage to build a new sleek ultra-modern five bedroom replacement which is said to be seven times bigger than the original house.
The new three storey home – which spans 706 square metres – features an open plan first floor with a large modern kitchen, dining area and lounge opening up to a huge wooden sun terrace with a winding outdoor staircase leading to private courtyards.
Huge glass windows give the family panoramic views across the beach to the sea where the sun sets in the evening.
The master bedroom on the top floor has its own sheltered terrace and ensuite bathroom. There is also a huge walk-in wardrobe and a second large ensuite bedroom at the back.
As well as a cinema, the lower ground floor has three further bedrooms which each have doors that open up onto gardens to maximise natural light.
It was also built to accommodate special features to make the property ‘better equipped to deal with the needs of its beachside location’.
It means the family are able to make the most of outside covered showers, a large beach store for surfboards, changing and wet rooms and a sauna.
There is also a new double garage with additional office space within the eaves – a perfect spot for the author to craft her latest blockbuster novel.
The house is located a short walking distance from the popular beach.
The property overlooks the sea in a pretty coastal village in the rugged county
It is set on a steep incline and offers spectacular views over the horizon due to its elevated position.
When planning permission was submitted architects described the property as ‘a distinctive contemporary development that responds to the context and site conditions relating to its unique location’.
They said the design formed ‘a compatible neighbour’ among ‘the mix of holiday homes and permanent residences of varying sizes in the immediate area’.
While no objections were lodged when planning permission was sought, many locals believe the property and its neighbours look out of place.
James – who has an estimated fortune of £120 million – set the record in the UK for the fastest selling paperback of all time after writing Fifty Shades of Grey in 2011.
It became the first instalment in a series of three steamy novels featuring the exploits of the young entrepreneur and college graduate Anastasia Steele.
The books sold 150 million copies worldwide and were turned into three smash hit Hollywood movies produced by James which grossed more than £1 billion dollars worldwide.
The series was expanded to three further novels before James went on to write two novels which are partly set in Cornwall and feature an English aristocrat who falls in love with his Albanian housemaid.
Despite finding a quiet hideaway James – who also has a £2.65million home in West London – may be among those who are not too comfortable with the new jet set neighbours moving into the area.
James – whose real name is Erika Mitchell – told in July how she remained confounded by her success and struggled to deal with it.
She said: ‘I have imposter syndrome and knowing I’ve sold 165 million books doesn’t make it easier.
‘I find it depressing that I can’t shift the self-doubt so I’m in therapy now.
‘I’ve been called courageous but I’m actually quite a coward. I’m a lot braver in my fiction than in real life.’
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