Couple's £150,000 Eco-Home Dream Faces 5-Year Eviction Risk

In October 2025, a married couple in Wales, Marcus and Abi, made headlines for their ambitious eco-home project in the Welsh countryside. The couple, who previously lived in the seaside town of Tenby with their 14-year-old twin daughters, were granted rare permission to build a sustainable home on a 20-acre woodland plot that had belonged to Marcus's late father.

However, the permission came with a catch - the family would be closely monitored for the first 5 years to ensure they were living a low-carbon lifestyle. Failure to comply could result in them being "chucked off" the property. The couple spent £150,000 on the project, using sustainable materials like recycled timber and newspapers for insulation.

While the finished home was praised by Grand Designs host Kevin McCloud as a "truly modern sustainable" property, the couple's decision to relocate their teenage daughters to the remote woodland location was met with criticism from viewers. Many felt the move was selfish and would isolate the girls from their friends and community.

Despite the couple's eco-credentials, some viewers also questioned the sustainability of the project, noting that the couple planned to keep their previous seaside home and rent it out for income. Nonetheless, Marcus and Abi remained determined to realize Marcus's childhood dream of building a home on his late father's land, even if it meant an uncertain future.