'Glaciers moving faster' than Fort Blockhouse sale as 'specialist advice' sought to sell site 9-years on
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The UK’s oldest sea-fort has been up for sale for years and is in a deteriorating condition
Progress to sell a “rotting” historic fortification is moving at a glacial pace despite its disposal being considered a priority.
Fort Blockhouse 1 in Gosport has long been left dormant and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) is continuing to struggle to find a credible buyer. Grand plans were unveiled in 2023 to transform the land into a mixed-use development of waterfront businesses and houses, but little progress is being made.
After being originally listed for disposal in the 2016 under the “Better Defence Estate” strategy on November 7, it has been nearly a decade since it was put up for sale. The News understands that interested parties have put forward proposals in the past, but none of them were deemed financially credible.
Parliamentary written questions have been raised by Gosport MP Dame Caroline Dinenage about the progress on selling the sea-fort. Minister for defence readiness and industry, Luke Pollard, said disposing of the fortification remains a priority.
“The Ministry of Defence, of which the Defence Infrastructure Organisation is part, has recently appointed and commissioned specialist advice on the future development potential of Fort Blockhouse 1 aligned with Gosport Borough Council’s emerging Local Plan,” he added. “As the Department’s clear intention is to move to war fighting readiness, I have directed that we examine non-core assets that could be disposed of to support our primary mission.”
In response, Ms Dinenage, Conservative, said: “There are glaciers moving faster than the DIO is currently operating to dispose of Fort Blockhouse, despite it sitting rotting at public expense and doing nothing for the local economy or for the country and its defence.”
According to Gosport Heritage, Fort Blockhouse 1 is believed to be the oldest fortified position in the United Kingdom that is still in active military use. It was built over five centuries ago in 1431 and used until the mid-1960s. The site housed the 33 military field hospital under the 2nd Medical Brigade - disbanded in 2018 - and a branch of the National Coastwatch Institution, with the Royal Navy submarine museum nearby.
Several stumbling blocks face potential developers. As previously reported in The News in 2022, the Haslar sea wall is suffering badly from erosion which could lead to rapid silting. Former Gosport Borough Council leader, councillor Peter Chegwyn, said a very substantial sum is needed to repair it before can happen to Fort Blockhouse itself.
During a Culture, Media and Sport committee meeting, Major General Andy Sturrock, Director of Strategy and Plans at the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), previously said a straight forward sale was not attractive enough and was “unlikely to be successful”.
Ms Dinenage said the government is not doing enough to transform derelict historic military sites. “The Parliamentary Committee which I chair has recommended that the government hit its housing targets by regenerating defence estate but clearly a step change is needed in how the public sector disposes of assets,” she added.
“Our heritage buildings and our communities deserve so much better than the current Government policy of managed decline.”