Gimme shelter: a WWII bunker with no windows and 4ft thick walls has been transformed into a pair of surprisingly airy £440,000 homes

The bunkers, situated on a former RAF base in Caversfield, near Bicester, Oxfordshire have been split in half to create two stylish houses

Ginevra Benedetti
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Originally built to withstand a bombing, gas or chemical attack, this pair of Second World War bunkers once came complete with decontamination showers, air lock doors and a war room.

brick wall with green lawn blue sky

(Image credit: City and Country)

It remains partly concealed by two large earth mounds, which were designed to offer blast protection. Well, you can never be too careful...

However, the spacious building has now been split in half and transformed into two distinctive 1,400 sq ft two-bedroom homes that are on the market for £440,000 each.

living room with white sofa cushions floor lamp

(Image credit: City and Country)

The conversions also feature open-plan living areas, fitted kitchen with integrated stainless-steel appliances and bi-fold doors that open out on to an external terrace. And, if that wasn't enough to tempt you, perhaps a fully maintained courtyard garden will do the trick.

The final design was a combined result of City & Country's designers working closely with their appointed architects Feilden + Mawson.

terrace with white chair potted plant

(Image credit: City and Country)

'It was probably one of the most challenging buildings we have ever tackled and was particularly unusual because it didn't have any windows,' says Simon Vernon-Harcourt, Design and Planning Director of developers City & Country.

brick wall with potted plant light

(Image credit: City and Country)

'There were very few of these built around the UK and most have been demolished or turned into something else.'

'As a bunker, you imagine it would be quite gloomy but it's light and airy now.'

So, if you're looking for a conversation starter, then we can't imagine too many people being able to tell their friends and family that they live in a restored decontamination bunker.

For more information about this property contact City & Country.

Ginevra Benedetti
Ginevra Benedetti
Deputy Editor (Print)

Ginevra Benedetti has been the Deputy Editor of Ideal Home magazine since 2021. With a career in magazines spanning nearly twenty years, she has worked for the majority of the UK’s interiors magazines, both as staff and as a freelancer. She first joined the Ideal Home team in 2011, initially as the Deputy Decorating Editor and has never left! She currently oversees the publication of the brand’s magazine each month, from planning through to publication, editing, writing or commissioning the majority of the content.

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