Investors in Kevin McCloud's projects told they face huge losses

Many feel they have been fobbed off by Grand Designs presenter’s promised returns

• TV architect whose design for living turned sour

Small investors who sank millions of pounds into the TV property guru Kevin McCloud’s eco-friendly housing ventures have been told they could face losing up to 97% of their money.

For 20 years the star of Channel 4’s Grand Designs has lectured the nation about how to create their dream home – but his own property empire has turned into a nightmare. Between 2013 and 2017, McCloud wooed investors with a string of fundraising schemes that promised returns of up to 9% a year from his Happiness Architecture Beauty (HAB) homes businesses.

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Global heating: ancient plants set to reproduce in UK after 60m years

Cycad in Isle of Wight produces outdoor male and female cones for first time on record

An exotic plant has produced male and female cones outdoors in Britain for what is believed to be the first time in 60 million years. Botanists say the event is a sign of global heating.

Two cycads (Cycas revoluta), a type of primitive tree that dominated the planet 280 million years ago, have produced cones on the sheltered undercliffs of Ventnor Botanic Garden on the Isle of Wight.

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Global heating: ancient plants set to reproduce in UK after 60m years

Cycad in Isle of Wight produces outdoor male and female cones for first time on record

An exotic plant has produced male and female cones outdoors in Britain for what is believed to be the first time in 60 million years. Botanists say the event is a sign of global heating.

Two cycads (Cycas revoluta), a type of primitive tree that dominated the planet 280 million years ago, have produced cones on the sheltered undercliffs of Ventnor Botanic Garden on the Isle of Wight.

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Garage conversions: A step by step guide Nottingham Estate Agents

Giving an underused garage a makeover can unlock precious space in your property – and increase its price. But where to start? Before you book the skip and reach for the sledgehammer, there’s a lot to be considered. OnTheMarket.com puts foot to pedal. Give it some thought It’s worth spending a bit of time thinking about what […]

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Greenland is off the market – but which other islands or towns could Donald Trump buy?

From Chilean isles to whole Italian villages, it is possible to purchase a lot of property in a hurry, even for non-billionaires

It’s been a while since the United States went around buying up bits of the world, and with US president Donald Trump’s ambition to own Greenland seemingly thwarted, there are some alternative purchases that a discerning buyer might consider if they want to obtain a lot of land in a hurry.

There are opportunities to be had in South America. Chile’s Guafo island is on the market for $20m (£16.5m). The uninhabited 50,000-acre island comes complete with colonies of sea lions and penguins. The only downside is you have to share a little bit of it with the Chilean navy, which has a weather station there. If that island isn’t big enough for you, you could look at Traiguen island, also in Chile – a relative bargain at $25m for 100,000 acres. Size-wise, both might struggle to compete with Greenland – the world’s largest island – but on the other hand, they aren’t 80% covered in ice, which is a distinct advantage.

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Comedian and HS2 critic John Bishop one of biggest gainers from controversial line

Bishop’s Georgian-style Cheshire home, one of 900 properties bought by delivery company, turned £4.5m profit

The comedian John Bishop has been one of HS2’s most outspoken critics – and may presumably be delighted if its future is in major doubt – but he has also banked a big profit from the multibillion-pound project.

Bishop’s Georgian-style country mansion in Cheshire was one of just over 900 residential properties, farms and tracts of land on the route that were bought by the company responsible for delivering the project between 2011 and 2018 for a total of almost £600m.

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How to add water to your garden Nottingham Estate Agents

There’s nothing more soothing and relaxing than the presence and sound of gently running water in the garden.   Whether it’s a tranquil reflective pool or a fountain, water can add a wonderful sense of serenity to any outdoor space, providing lovely movement and sound. But there are other benefits to being around water, too.  Recent research […]

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