Unexpected development in Andy Lee’s luxury $5m Hawthorn renovation

The popular comedian and his girlfriend have generated plenty of headlines over their major plans to transform their derelict $8.5 million Melbourne home.

Several of Andy Lee’s neighbours have reportedly thrown their support behind his multimillion-dollar luxury Melbourne renovation amid claims of backlash among locals.

The popular TV and radio host, who is best known as one-half of comedy duo Hamish & Andy, bought the derelict heritage-listed property in Hawthorn with girlfriend Rebecca Harding in 2021 for a whopping $8.5 million – despite the fact it has no kitchen or bathroom.

The couple’s development application to their local council was approved in late June, which includes plans to transform the run-down house into a luxurious mansion complete with a pool, theatre, gym and golf simulator, at a total cost of about $5 million.

Harding, pictured here on the property they bought in 2021. Picture: Instagram

It apparently enraged some locals, with the Herald Sun reporting last month that several neighbours had gone so far as to lodge formal complaints with local council.

According to the publication, they took issue with the landscaping and heritage aspects of the celebrity couple’s renovation plans.

But in a surprising development several others have now spoken to the Daily Mail about their enthusiasm for the project, claiming they’re tired of looking at the “disgusting” current state of the house, describing it as a “dump”.

“I think it’s fantastic they’re not knocking down the heritage house. As a private residence, I think it’s fantastic compared to what they could do,” one neighbour told the publication.

“Definitely an eyesore, but worse than that, just an absolute tragedy to treat a historic house like that and leave it to demolition by neglect.”

The neighbour also criticised the previous owners for neglecting it for over a decade.

“I’m hoping the council has taken the respect for this very old building seriously,” they said, while another agreed: “It looks so disgusting at the moment, I’d be happy to see it [renovated]. Anything would be better.”

The couple started dating in 2014. Picture: AAP Image/Julian Smith

A different local weighed in, explaining they’d lived there for “23 years” and the neighbouring home had long been “a falling down wreck of a dump”.

“So as soon as someone fixes it up, the better … I’d be opposing anyone who actually is opposing it,” he told the Daily Mail.

“If they’re restoring what’s there, then construction towards the back is fine. It’s been an eyesore.”

The heritage listed site sits by the Yarra River and among other things, the renovation will involve constructing a second building on the land.

The historic home was vacant for 10 years prior to Mr Lee’s purchase.

The vacancy resulted in damaged walls, floors and ceiling and with no power or plumbing, however it can’t be knocked down due to its heritage status.

The Hawthorn mansion last sold for $1.18m in 1995, according to CoreLogic data, meaning the previous owners made a whopping profit of over $7 million over the 2021 sale.

The median house price for a Hawthorn house sits $2.3 million, according to realestate.com.au. At the time of Mr Lee’s purchase, it was slightly higher, at $2.5 million.

The house’s location is along a row of other properties that also sold for millions.