New lease of life for Cold War bunker

GREEN LIGHT FOR WAR ROOMS TO RECEIVE 'RENEWED COMMUNITY PURPOSE' AS WELL AS 104 HOMES

- By JOE LOCKER

PLANS to build more than 100 affordable homes and transform a 1950s Cold War bunker have been approved.

The Grade II listed bunker, known as the Nottingham War Rooms, is off Chalfont Drive in Beechdale.

It was designed to house a regional commissioner and government staff in the event of a nuclear war, and features a BBC studio from where emergency alerts would have been broadcast.

The bunker was built in the Cold War era as one of 17 regional war rooms across England and Scotland.

Under the plans, which were unanimously approved at a Nottingham City Council planning committee meeting on Wednesday, 104 affordable homes will be built around the site.

The bunker itself will be redeveloped to become a home for youth charity Base 51, as well as two restaurants and leisure and health facilities.