"It is not safe" - Injunction in place after ‘urban explorers’ and trespassers risked their lives to visit historic Spitbank Fort
A High Court injunction has been put in place to deter ‘urban explorers’ and trespassers from risking their lives to unlawfully visit the historic Spitbank Fort.
The latest owner of Spitbank Fort, Katherine Bradbury, who was born and raised in the Portsmouth area, has successfully been granted an injuction, ‘prohibiting anyone from climbing upon, or otherwise entering, occupying, or remaining upon any part of Spitbank Fort, Solent’ without consent.
This comes after the 32-year-old, who purchased the £1,010,000 fort at auction last summer, said she ‘felt let down by the police in their efforts to deter people from dangerous trespass’, after bearing witness to multiple trespassing instances.
Spitbank Fort is a Grade II listed sea fort, completed in 1878, and is one of four similar Napoleonic era forts , which was owned by the Ministry of Defence until 1982. The fort was converted into a luxury nine-bedroom boutique hotel back in 2012, before closing during the pandemic and then going on the market.
On July 17, the Royal Courts of Justice heard a witness statement on behalf of Katherine who listed the multiple ‘urban explorers’, who have trespassed and uploaded videos of themselves at the site.
Most recently, an American TikToker accessed the property via boat in May of this year. As of July 14, the TikTok video of the ‘urban explorer’ trespassing has reached 13.5m views with comments highlighting other people’s interest in visiting the fort without permission.
Katherine said: “I've been asked why an injunction and why now.
“Even with the videos and evidence of the damage done by so-called urban explorers, the police have done little in the last three months to help, and nothing to deter the trespassing.
“I could see people openly discussing plans to unlawfully visit the fort online, but the fort has suffered significant decay since the closure during the COVID-19 pandemic and is not yet safe for visitors.
“With individuals putting themselves at risk by crossing the major shipping lane in and out of Portsmouth and the police unable to help, the only option available to me was to seek a High Court injunction to prohibit unauthorised access. Anyone who boats in the Solent will tell you how perilous these waters can be.”
The court also heard how the property is currently unoccupied due to water ingress and a ‘suspected presence of legionella bacteria in the water supply’, and that contractors are ‘undertaking repairs and remedial works’.
Katherine said she is ‘currently dedicated to making it safer using local contractors’ and developing ‘it into a success over the next five years’, but she is not ready to disclose plans.
Katherine added: “I remember walking down Southsea seafront with my Grandma, wondering about those round towers rising out of the Solent. Wondering who owned them or what they were for. Dreaming of one day visiting them.
“I purchased Spitbank Fort in 2024 when it came up for auction. It wasn't my most thought through decision - more of a ‘I may never get an opportunity like this again and I don't want to regret not trying.’
“It’s possible I might have bitten off more than I can chew, but time will tell.”
Hannah Dare, property disputes team for Steele Raymond LLP Solicitors who dealt with case, said: “The police were not able to assist with the multiple trespasses that had occurred, and the issue was getting worse due to the widespread impact of the videos of other urban explorers already on the internet, reinforcing the incorrect perception that the fort is abandoned and that anyone could go there and access it.
“This injunction rights the balance and makes it clear to anyone considering going to the fort that it is against the law.