Bunker conversion

[Peter Gillson]

Our planning authority has just approved this application to convert a WW! German bunker - a personnel shelter to be exact - into a one bedroom house.

This first photo shows the bunker's position: as a personnel shelter up to 14 soldiers could live in it, they would have crewed the bunkers across the road from it. Two of which you can see in the photo below.
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Under the plans, the reinforced concrete walls that flank the bunker will be retained, but the existing wall at the rear will be demolished and a new blockwork wall built. The extension will house the lounge and kitchen/diner. The foliage on the north, south and west sides of the structure will be retained. Inside the bunker a bedroom, en-suite and utility room will be created, with two sun tunnels to get light into the bedroom.

This is an artist's impression of the finished build:

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It is a while since I was around that particular bunkers but here is a plan of a similar one:

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It was built to full Fortress standard so the roof will be at least one mtr thick so good luck to whoever is drilling holes in it for the light pipes. At least the bedroom will be well soundproofed. This is going to be one building site worth keeping an eye on.

Peter

[Guest]

Peter .
Hope you can do regular updates on this please.
John.

[TIM FORSTER]

Is this the Channel Islands Peter?

[Peter Gillson]

Tim - yes,I should have mentioned that. It is in Guernsey, along the West Coast.

[colin m]

Well, what a talking point at the new owners first party.
"Who built you house, Barrat, Bovis, Taylor Wimpy ? " What a story to tell.

[Peter Gillson]

Colin

You may not be far from the truth.
Although building the bunkers was under the overall control of Organisation Todt the work was often sub-contracted to German construction companies. It is thought that about 10-12 German companies were used in the Channel Islands.

I recall about 7-8 years ago while researching something else, coming across a section in a book which listed some of them as well as the bunkers the companies constructed. So it may be possible to identify if the bunker was built buy OT or a German company. Who knows, the company could still be trading!!!

[Peter Gillson]

I nipped into one of our libraries and while I cannot be 100% certain, it is likely that the bunker was built by a German construction company called Rabel-Werke from Bremen.

The reference I found lists this company as the largest operating in Guernsey (under the direction of Organisation Todt) and is known to have constructed the coastal fortifications to the north and south of this particular one so it is possible.