Plans to turn nuclear bunker into holiday lets

Plans have been put forward to turn a former World War Two facility and later nuclear bunker in Devon into holiday lets.

Elonex DOOH Ltd has applied for planning permission to turn the Grade II listed former RAF facility near Hope Cove into two four-bedroom holiday units comprising of a cinema room, games room and a retro arcade.

Originally built in 1941, it was redeveloped in 1952 as part of an air defence radar system built by the government to counter a possible attack by the Soviet Union during the Cold War. It was one of only five built to its two-storey semi-sunken design.

A consultation period into the holiday let proposals was due to end on Thursday, South Hams District Council said.

The Hope Cove bunker had space for 150 people and was decommissioned in the 1990s when it was bought by two farmers, Trevor Lethbridge and Derek Brooking.

Previous records released by the Russian authorities revealed that one of two Soviet-era nuclear missiles targeted at Devon was aimed at the bunker.

The planning statement said the building had been used "continuously for storage purposes for more than 10 years" and had been subject to an increase number of leaks and several break-ins.

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