Armageddon bunker could fetch £575,000

Located in Woodside Road Industrial Estate on the outskirts of Ballymena, the government-owned bunker is believed to be one of the last and most technically advanced buildings of its kind ever built in the UK. Almost 1,600 nuclear monitoring posts and 36 control posts for military and civil defence purposes were built across the UK between 1955 and 1965.

Set on a self-contained and enclosed site of c. 3.74 acres, the property blends into its surroundings, disguised by a grass roof. The lower level of the building is completely underground.

The bunker has three points of access via interlocking double blast doors. Internally it houses dormitories, male and female bathrooms, commercial kitchen facilities, a BBC audio visual broadcasting facility, conference facilities, air filtration systems, conference rooms, decontamination chambers, plant rooms and oil storage.

Originally commissioned in the late 1980s and opened in 1990, the building was maintained in a ‘fit and ready state’ for any big emergency. Over recent years it has been subject only to essential maintenance as required.

Andrew Fraser, a Surveyor at Lambert Smith Hampton, said: “We are delighted to be presented with the challenge to find a purchaser for this one of a kind property. This is an extremely rare listing and offers a unique opportunity for potential buyers.”

Stuart Draffin, Head of Agency at Lambert Smith Hampton, added: “We expect a lot of interest in the property . We believe the property may have potential for a wide range of uses including, but not limited to media, tourism and secure storage.”