A DERELICT World War Two observation tower is on the market for £180,000 – because it has planning permission to be turned into a seasideholiday home.
A DERELICT World War Two observation tower is on the market for £180,000 – because it has planning permission to be turned into a seaside
holiday home.
The historic 15-foot square building with one foot thick reinforced concrete
walls and a rusting corrugated iron roof was built in 1940 when Britain
faced the threat of Nazi invasion.
It now has a flooded cellar, a graffiti-covered interior and crumbling walls
after standing empty and neglected since the war ended 58-years-ago.
But the farmer who owns the isolated Grade Two listed tower has now got
planning consent for it to converted into a one bedroom holiday home.
The ugly-looking Battery Observation Post is commanding such a high price
because it enjoys stunning views of the North Sea at Bawdsey near
Woodbridge, Suffolk.
It could also suit a wildlife lover as it overlooks three freshwater lakes
which are a haven for wading and coastal birds.
The listed building consent allows the 25 foot tower to have a spectacular
room with panoramic views of the countryside to be built on the top.
It also permits the other three levels to be converted into a basement,
living room and a kitchen.
But planning restrictions prevent anyone living for more than three months a
year in the tower which comes with a quarter acre of land and is 100 metres from the beach
Its listed building status means that a future owner will also be unable to
do much to change the overall look of the building and its tiny window
openings
Estate agent Mike Simpson said: "It will make a highly unusual property
which would really suit someone wanting a secluded seaside retreat.
"The tower might not be the most attractive of buildings and looks a bit
sorry for itself - but it certainly has a lot of history to it and played
an important role in Britain's defences in World War Two.
"It is the most unusual beachside property I have been involved with and it
is spectacularly interesting from an architectural point of view.
"We estimate the building work to convert it could cost around (pounds)
70,000 so it is only likely to appeal to someone who is fairly rich."
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