Posted on 03/06/2008 6:20:29 PM PST by blam
Battle for the £4 million sea fortress
By Richard Savill
Last Updated: 1:36am GMT 07/03/2008
With armour-plated walls rising defiantly from the sea, No Man's Land Fort has held out against invaders since it was built to repel Napoleon III 150 years ago.
Now, however, the Solent fortress is under siege for the first time and could be facing its most determined enemy yet - estate agents. The fort, which has been converted into a hotel, has been put on the market by administrators.
However, Harmesh Pooni, 42, who claims he is the rightful owner of the Grade II-listed building, has barricaded himself inside. He has blocked the helipads by lashing down upturned tables to stop helicopters landing, while notices in the windows, which were once hatches for the fort's 49 cannon, warn that trespassers will be prosecuted.
Provided Mr Pooni has plenty of supplies, he could carry on the siege almost indefinitely because the fort has its own generators and fresh water bore hole. Mr Pooni says he bought the island in 2004 for £5 million and is still its legal owner. However, after his financial backers went bust, the administrators took over and asked estate agents Knight Frank to market the fort for about £4 million. So far, however, they have been unable to show prospective buyers around.
Mr Pooni, who has the only set of keys, said: "The fort is mine and no one else has the right to sell it. Even if they got an order to evict me, I shall carry on fighting in the courts. I have been staying at the fort to protect it and ensure no one boards and changes the locks."
The notices he has put up read: "Possession of this property has been retaken by the rightful legal owner and they are now residing on the premises." The fort, which lies three miles from Portsmouth, is a familiar landmark for ferry passengers.
Built between 1865 and 1880 to protect against a French invasion, it had living quarters for 80 soldiers.
However, by the time it was completed the danger of war with the French had subsided and none of its guns was ever fired in anger.
After being used for anti-aircraft artillery during the Second World War, it was deactivated in 1956 and sold by the Ministry of Defence in 1986.
It was used as a private residence in the 1990s before being converted into a five-star hotel with 21 rooms, a swimming pool, sauna, gym, restaurant and bars. The central courtyard has been turned into an atrium. Mr Pooni, from Birmingham, is staying in the fort's former lighthouse which, according to Knight Frank, has "three bedrooms, a sitting room with French windows leading on to a terrace and an amazing 360 degree observatory".
Mr Pooni once rented it out for £25,000 a day to corporate clients and events companies. He also gained planning permission to build a £2?million marina. However, the venue was shut down by health officials after the bacteria responsible for legionnaires' disease was found.
Mr Pooni struggled to pay his financial backers, Lexi Holdings, which went bust with debts of £100?million. Its managing director, Shaid Luqman, was jailed for failing to comply with court orders. KPMG, Lexi's administrators, said that it now owned the fort and has put it on the market through Knight Frank. The agent's brochure says: "No Man's Land Fort makes a dramatic statement against the seascape. It is undoubtedly one of Britain's most bizarre and memorable structures, comparable to something one might see in a Bond film."
The estate agents acknowledge, however, that the fort "needs some work and attention to restore it to its former glory". It can only be reached by helicopter because the boat winch needs repairing.
KMPG is seeking an eviction order against Mr Pooni. The issue is expected to go to the High Court.
I like it, wonder how the fishing is.
Needs more visable cannon.
Hey, looks like we finally found a place to go after Jan 2009 - all we need to make our own Free Republic - just have to get the scratch up.
Bump
I was just checking this thing out on Google Earth.
It seems there are at least 3 of these things in a triangle pattern outside of Portsmouth harbour.
The other 2 from what I could tell look pretty beat.
Looks to me like they would be fun (and dangerous!!)to explore though!!
Ha, Given that if i came out alive i’m sure i’d be going home with a mean case of Tetanus.
Of if you’ve read “World War Z: guide to the zombie wars”, here’s a great place to take shelter.
Pretty cool! I was looking for a secret lair to hatch my plan to take over the world. I wonder if the pool can hold sharks with laser beams on their heads.
It would be absolutely perfect ....as long as you don't go swimming to deep .......cold clammy hands from the depths and all that jazz .....
Off tangent, the Zombie Survival guide is a pretty good book if you live in places like Rwanda. Think of it, when those people went berserk and started hacking each other up, they were basically zombies! I read one case where a parent hacked their kids up because they were half-tutsi.
The only difference is that no brains were being eaten, but all the other hallmarks of Zombification (stupidity, rampant murder, atrophied humanity, group think and movement) were all evident. Obviously I am not saying zombies exist or any such nonsense, but if i was staying in Rwanda i would build myself a place that has a veritable fort in the basement.
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