Potential investors were almost turned away from a historic military fortification currently up for sale - leaving a politician “absolutely horrified”.

Officials from the global film giant Warner Bros were initially blocked from being given a tour of Fort Blockhouse in Gosport. Thought to be the UK’s oldest sea fort - dating back to 1431 - the site has been listed for disposal by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) since 2016.

Dame Caroline Dinenage, Gosport’s Conservative MP, led some of Warner Bros’ bosses and a location scout around Fort Blockhouse to show them the potential and scale of the site. Despite showcasing the fortification, she was left at her wits end after almost having no access to it, despite the MoD actively seeking for investors to buy it. She said after her initial requests fell on deaf ears, and had to take it further.

Dame Caroline Dinenage at Fort Brockhurst, Gosport. She said she was “absolutely horrified” that a Warner Bros tour of Fort Blockhouse, currently up for sale, was almost blocked. | Habibur Rahman

placeholder image — Dame Caroline Dinenage at Fort Brockhurst, Gosport. She said she was “absolutely horrified” that a Warner Bros tour of Fort Blockhouse, currently up for sale, was almost blocked. | Habibur Rahman

Speaking to The News on Friday, the politician said: “My frustration was that it was almost impossible to get access to the Fort Blockhouse site. I had to escalate it to the secretary of state before being allowed to take Warner Bros to have a look. I was absolutely horrified.

“The MoD say they’re actively looking for buyers, but as a local MP, I couldn’t take a potential investor onto that site. It begs the question of how many other potential investors have been turned away and not been shown around.

“What are the missed opportunities that are happening every day that could see some real investment and future economic prosperity for the Gosport peninsula that are just being missed because the DIO (Defence Infrastructure Organisation) aren’t doing their job properly.”

Frustrations and challenges

Conservationists raised their concerns about the state of Gosport’s military sites at the Fortifications At Risk conference on Friday (September 5). Although some of the abandoned Palmerston forts have been transformed, including Fort Gilkicker, others such as Fort Elson are in dire straits.

Dr Celia Clark, a Portsmouth-based expert on restoring and maintaining military sites, previously said that heritage organisations found it almost impossible to speak to the MoD about potential bids and plans to save crumbling sites. The longer that heritage sites are left without proper care, the harder it is for them to be restored and given a new lease of life.

Fort Blockhouse is thought to be the UK's oldest sea fort, and has been up for sale since 2016. | Brian Bracher Compass Aerial

The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) recommended that opportunities to move on unused sites should be identified, with private sector expertise and capital being drawn in “as quickly as possible”. “Mechanisms for realising this potential as a matter of urgency,” it added. A recapitalisation plan is due to be submitted to the government in 2026.

The protecting built heritage inquiry, analysing how military sites can be better supported, remains ongoing. Ms Dinenage said sites already up for sale should be prioritised, before the MoD looks at what else can be shelved. “They need to decide more definitively whether they want to hold on to a site or let it go,” she added. “Fort Blockhouse has been earmarked for disposal, and here we are nearly ten years later and it’s still sitting here empty.

“It’s doing nothing for the local economy and nothing for the MoD. It’s just a huge drain on taxpayers resources. If you want to use it, use it, if you don’t, sell it and let it flourish in a new future. The process takes far too long and creates so much upheaval, uncertainty, and economic instability in the process. I just feel like someone needs to get a grip of this and I’ll be raising it in parliament.”

Visit our newsletter page today and sign up for a great range of free emails featuring the city’s biggest news and sport headlines

Interested parties have made approaches for the Fort Blockhouse site, but no definitive offers have been considered so far. Restoring the sea wall around the fortification could prove to be an expensive hurdle for developers to overcome. Ms Dinenage said her “dream world” would be for a movie studio to be built at Fort Blockhouse due to the UK’s flourishing film industry, but would also like to see a mixed use development of businesses and housing be considered.

She added: “With deep-water moorings and direct access to the Solent, it lends itself to employment and investment around the marine sector. Parts of the site have the most spectacular views of the Solent, which would lend itself to housing. There is a huge heritage aspect to the site which needs to be preserved. It’s a vast, complex, and incredible historic site. We need a combination of different investors that can realise its potential.”

Responding Ms Dinenage’s question about the future of Fort Blockhouse in parliament, and the use of military sites to house asylum seekers, defence minister Luke Pollard, Labour, said: “I’m happy meeting her to discuss the opportunities we can use the defence estate for, contributing to growth in every part of the country including her own.”

The Ministry of Defence has been approached for further details.