This historically unique property will impress anyone who appreciates dramatic modern design. With the feeling of a film set or a glossy magazine photo shoot, it has space – in a main house and separate annexe – for up to eight guests. Located on the south coast of the Isle of Wight below St Lawrence, it is surrounded by conservation land and feels very secluded, yet is just 2.5 miles from Ventnor. The town, once a Victorian health resort, has plenty to offer visitors, including a sand-and-shingle beach with vintage beach huts, beautiful botanical gardens, and coast-path walks with stunning views. It has an excellent selection of restaurants and pubs, and every July stages a fabulous arts festival. Blackgang Chine, the UK’s oldest theme park, is 5 miles away, and other days out nearby include Carisbrooke Castle (10.5 miles), where Charles I was imprisoned, and Tapnell Farm Park (16 miles), an all-weather family attraction.
The property is approached via a private lane and then a curving driveway, and is in a breathtaking position, built into the hillside against the dramatic backdrop of the Undercliff escarpment. A former RAF radar station, which monitored the south coast of Britain during World War II, has been beautifully converted into a spacious, contemporary home. Its simple, geometric lines, incorporating concrete, spruce cladding and huge areas of glazing, are balanced by the mature trees and incredible sea views from every room. In the kitchen/diner, you’ll find an array of appliances which will delight any chef, including a Fisher & Paykel fridge/freezer and two dishwashers. Industrial-style lighting complements the minimal ambience of this space, and as you dine – either at the table or the breakfast bar – you can admire the extraordinary views. From the kitchen/diner, a curving set of concrete steps leads down to the lounge, with huge, south-facing windows and a wood burner, perfect for enjoying the incredible vistas and hunkering down on a cool evening. On this level, you’ll also find a two-level utility room and a separate WC, and further along the corridor, you reach the Bunker itself. This amazing space is where the generator that powered the radar station was once housed, and it has now been converted into a huge sitting area/lounge with a piano, an industrial-sized wood burning stove, a vinyl hi-fi centre and views westwards to the sunset. The first floor is home to three impressive bedrooms, two sea-facing ones with yet more huge windows, two bathrooms and a dressing area. For additional guests, a separate annexe (a Nissen hut that was once home to defence forces during the war) is located close to the main house. This characterful and useful, separate studio space has a kitchen, dining table, double bed, sofa and a shower room. Like the main house, it has wonderful views of the sea.
This one-of-a-kind, architecturally significant getaway sits within a 1-acre plot of land surrounded by a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest, bordered by mature trees. Doors open out from the lounge in the main house to the wraparound garden, which has been expertly designed for entertaining, with areas of lawn, a patio, outdoor furniture and two fire pits. The annexe has its own decked area with a bench and table. The parking area easily has room for several vehicles.