A DAD and daughter duo have transformed a crumbling cluster of grain silos into one of the country’s most jaw-dropping homes – now on the market for a staggering £4.25 million.
Richard Dales, 58, and his daughter Olivia Ward, 30, took on the mammoth two-year project on their family’s land near Malton,.
What used to be eight cold, aluminium grain silos from a former model farm is now a slick, modern four-bedroom masterpiece with glass walkways, curved interiors and a few magical surprises inside.
“This was never going to be an ordinary build,”; said Olivia, who runs ODD Design, her own interior and exterior design firm.
“We wanted it to be a proper home – not just some statement.”;
The property, known as The Silos, sits on Swinton Grange Estate, once owned by the famous family.
The land has a rich history. In the early 1900s, it was developed into a cutting-edge farm, and during , it played a key role in food production with help from the Women's Land Army.
Richard originally planned to knock the silos down after building eight red-brick homes next door, but after a walk around the site with a local heritage officer, he changed his mind.
“I sat there in a deckchair thinking, ‘What if we actually made this into a house?’”; he said.
But getting the green light wasn’t easy.
Their first in 2021 was rejected, with councillors fearing the unique design might attract “commuting city dwellers.”;
They appealed and won in 2022.
Not only did they get permission, but a restriction saying only locals could live there was dropped too.
That allowed them to dream bigger, doubling the size from a modest two-bed to a bold four-bedroom home with over 4,600 square feet of space.
The transformation is staggering. Each silo was dismantled, cleaned and rebuilt, with much of the original aluminium re-used.
Inside, a steel frame and thick insulation keep the temperature at a steady 21°C year-round.
A ground-source heat pump and rooftop solar panels power the underfloor heating and even feed excess energy back into the .
In the centre of the home is a soaring glass hallway filled with light and a 10-foot olive tree, thriving beneath a skylight.
The open-plan is fully curved, custom-made by local craftsmen.
There’s a dramatic sweeping staircase, suspended fireplace, and full-height circular glass doors that open onto the countryside.
Those doors alone cost a six-figure sum and even got smashed during delivery, causing a two-month delay.
But despite the headaches, both say it was worth it.
“I’ve been building homes for over 30 years,”; said Richard.
“But I’ve never done anything like this – and I probably never will again.”;
The Silos is now being sold by , and they believe it’s truly one of a kind.
“This home can’t be repeated,”; said Olivia.
“You might see silos converted in America, but not like this. This is warm, modern and completely unique.”;
