Search and rescue technicians have donned PPE and descended into the Isle of Wight’s once-secret nuclear bunker today (Saturday) ahead of the historic site being concrete capped once and for all.
The R1 ROTOR bunker at St Boniface Downs, Ventnor was built in the 1950s and housed up to 200 radar operators and other staff at the peak of the Cold War. The site was eventually leased to the Isle of Wight Council who used it as an emergency operations centre, but this was wound up in the early 1990s.
For the past 20-odd years, the site has been left to rot and has been fairly secure. However, in 2008, local explorers managed to gain entry to the underground bunker through an emergency exit. Shortly after the visit the access point was filled in with rubble and then concrete capped.
Back in April a video emerged on YouTube showing a greater insight into the layout and condition of the facility. The footage was captured in 2016/2017 – some 8 years after the last visit. Sadly, during the lockdown period a number of other people have gained entry to the bunker with more photos and videos being published online showing yet further deterioration.
Now, owners of the site – UK-based National Air Traffic Services (NATS) – have called in contractors to make the bunker completely secure to prevent further access.
Isle of Wight Search and Rescue (WightSAR) and Hampshire Search and Rescue (HANTSAR) have been called in to conduct a thorough search of the bunker to ensure no one is still inside ahead of all entrances being firmly sealed shut.
Technicians donned personal protective equipment to go into the bunker shortly before 11:00. Engineers from SSEN and JA Dempsey were present, alongside a representative from NATS.
Contact has been made with NATS in the past to explore the opportunity of a caretaker group gaining controlled access to the important historic bunker to prevent it from deteriorating further. However, NATS expressed that the area (above ground) is an important operational site and therefore no access will be permitted, not even to pump out floodwater to prolong the life of the bunker.
The bunker is located away from the main communications building and could have its own fenced access.
Up to 200 Operators, who told you that ?
It’s not the first time its been capped.. several times it’s been opened and it will be again no doubt. Videos on youtube
Not this time. This entrance has never been sealed other than a usual concrete lid. The other one was sealed years ago. The same will happen to this one now and any others they are searching for. Anyway anyone that wants to risk the amount of asbestos and methane down there is welcome to it! Why do you think the search teams are suited as they are? Highly hazardous area which is why it’s closed off.
It’s a shame it’s come to this though. Too many people causing constant damage to the site that’s why it’s being done unfortunately. Half the island has been up there the last few weeks and it would only take one accident or god forbid a child falling down there. Also nobody would be willing to take on the expense of restoration which would run into ridiculous money plus planning permission would never be given due to the narrow access road through National trust land. Sad but true. It could have been amazing.
And yet Planning permission was granted to build a million pound home just to the right of this site on ex-MOD land…with all the restrictions you describe…
That’s one house not loads of tourists! Although amazes me they got permission for it! It could never be a viable attraction sadly
Unscathed for now yes but who knows in the future.The asbestos has been disturbed by all the frequent “visitors “down there.Most sufferers of asbestosis didn’t get affected at the time and any closed area like that will get a build up of methane gas as it did. One spark and boom!! Google it!
Laurence, I don’t see how abusing search volunteers add anything here. This isn’t an emergency and overreaction but clearly a planned operation prior to sealing the bunker. With any national company that owns a site like this certain H&S considerations need to be taken into account however likely they may be or not, otherwise there will be no authorization to enter. Why do you think the NATS people haven’t done it before now. Anyway nice attitude buddy!
Yes you are right, bit overkill all that kit, they were looking for people possibly hidden in a R1 rotor bunker after the tour buses left, they weren’t pushing spent uranium off the roof of reactor number 4
Sad to see the sorry state that it has got into, as I spent 4 years working down there in the 1950’s as an RAF radar fitter. One could hardly have had a better posting.
That’s interesting mike .you should write something about it .I find that stuff fascinating.
Over the past few months NATS have had to send people to repair the fence on the south side of the site, on numerous occasions. It’s been repeatedly cut through in order to gain access. Little wonder then that they have taken the decision to cap it off.
And was done yet again last night even though they know there’s no access anymore! They’re all in CCTV now!
It’s not just the south side it happens all around the perimeter fence. Extra measures in place now and all on CCTV. It’s been ruined for everyone by those who think it’s fine to vandalise these places and break in and trespass. Very sad for us all.
NATS may own this important site but they are also the custodians of it. Even if they have decided to close off access for now for security and safety reasons, it should be done in a reversible way to allow access in the future. It seems short sighted not to pump out the floodwater so as to help preserve the bunker so that if opinion changes about the importance of the site, it is preserved as much as possible.
Cost!!! Especially now with the economy blown out of the water. NATS gets its money from government! Say no more…
I agree but problem is the cost and it would just flood again unless the sources are repaired which again is more cost and with the pandemic and airlines all in trouble it has knock on effect on NATS and the money they have to do it.
Some of these people that “explore” these places and then complain when they are discovered and the sites are closed off need to ask themselves are they willing to put up money to restore them? I think the answer is no. Because they know it wouldn’t be cost effective or affordable. I’m afraid it just has to be accepted.
Yet another great shame that something of a internet or urban legend on the island will be gone. I take my hat off the the Wight urban explorer for the effort he done to capture the last moments inside the bunker even if he may be branded a criminal .
On one hand it’s a shame that a agree ment couldn’t be reached even for a small charity group just to have access to keep the
legend alive but I’m sure a small minority would mess this up as usual e.g vandalism.
It should have been saved like many on the main land have with good tourist ratings but I guess the odds were against it incl the greed of its owners.
What a shame. I hoped they would be able to restore it and maybe have people be able to visit it to see it. Why is nothing looked after and preserved for future generations to enjoy a visit to?
I was the first to find the entrance after it was buried for a number of years.. careful planning and analysing the maps on certain forums didn’t take long to establish the cable shaft entrance was situated inside of a bush.. once we found the entrance and removed the concrete cover we descended down inside.. had a look round and took videos and pictures etc.. when we exited we left the site exactly as we found and no we didn’t go via a cut in the fence.. no damage was caused… unfortunately somebody decided to erect bright yellow tape around the entrance after our visit making this visible to every man and his wife… thus causing the influx of visitors.. had this have been left as we left it nobody would have found it as It was in a very discreet position
You were still trespassing on private property and it’s illegal. Also it wasn’t just you that went in numerous people did leaving the entrance open hence the yellow tape. If anyone had an accident there the landowners would have been in serious trouble through someone else’s stupidity. The warning signs were there as that’s the most they could do at short notice until they could sort it out permanently. No matter what anyone says about exploring or whatever everyone who went there was breaking the law and causing untold problems for those left to clear up and mend it all and patrol the site in their evenings and weekends. Exploring is all well and good until you start going all over private property. How would you feel if half the island were traipsing through your property leaving damage to be repaired on a daily basis.
Alright calm down smithy.. no need to start dishing out the rules of the law.. I take it you’ve never done anything that’s against the law.. I take it you drive at 30mph in a 30mph zone and wouldn’t dare go above.. 31 is prison time for you son
Well you didnt leave it how you found it, you left the fucking cap off and didnt put it back
I can assure you the cap was firmly in position when I left the site, even disguising the entrance into the bush as I left.. a visit to the site 3 days later and it still remained untouched… and I do have photographic evidence of how we concealed the entrance… so no I didn’t leave ‘the fucking cap off’ thanks Ben!!
Destroying our history seems to be the woke thing to do this month
Cold war history is just as important for future generations as medieval castles and stone circles etc, maybe more so, seeing how it going hot could of wiped mankind from the face of the planet
It’s already owned by the public, not to mention having been bought and paid for several times over
Could quite easily be opened a few times a year to interest parties, as other similar places are, run and managed by volunteers so at no cost to NATS, if anything it would reduce their costs and would help preserve the bunker and it’s history for future generations