Former Cold War bunker could become holiday home

The bunker sits under farmland near Burford, south Shropshire

A former Cold War monitoring bunker in south Shropshire could be redeveloped as a holiday home, under plans submitted to Shropshire Council.

The Tenbury Wells Royal Observer Corps (ROC) monitoring station sits underneath farmland near Burford.

It was last used for monitoring the potential nuclear threat from the former Soviet Union in the 1960s, and can only be accessed via a concrete hatch and 14ft (4.2 metre) ladder.

The landowners applied to build an underground extension to the bunker to allow it to be used as holiday accommodation.

The proposals are a resubmission of an earlier plan for the site, which was thrown out in 2021 due to its effect on the building.

It was granted a certificate of lawful use as holiday accommodation in 2016.

The plan would see a more user-friendly doorway fitted, to allow holiday-makers to access the structure without using the ladder.

A kitchen and bathroom facilities would be added to the proposed 5m (16ft) underground extension, as well as glazing installed over the original entry hatch.

A statement filed with the application said the applicants had done their best to maintain and preserve the bunker, but that it was becoming less feasible with time.

It added that the extension and alterations would safeguard the future preservation of the building.

Shropshire Council’s planning officers will decide on the scheme in due course.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.