Sunday 16 November 2014

Goodbye to the Type 646 bunker at Wn Lewis Tower

October 2014 and we hear that a bunker is due to be demolished along with the old Chateau Plaisir in St.Ouen.
 .. closer. It's a Type 646 bunker, used for pumping and storing water for the Lewis Tower resistance nest group of bunkers.
It was hidden within the Chateau building since the 1950s. This shot gives you some idea where...
 .. along with this shot from the bunker at the sea wall, looking inland.
A week or two later, and the site is cleared enough that we get a good view from the main road...





 .. closer. At this point, it wouldn't be too late to save it. But alas it wasn't to be. To make way for some wealthy people to enjoy luxury houses here, Planning decided not to take any action to save it.
First, the indignity of a toilet resting on the roof, then it became half a pile of rubble (I didn't take a shot last week)...

.. and now.. bye bye.At least the CIOS salvaged some metalwork for use in other bunkers that they open to the public.
There are other Type 646 bunkers along the Five Mile Road...
.. here's another. So maybe it's not too bad a loss. But please, Planning, can we have a bit more care and attention paid to historic buildings so we don't see any more disappear without due consideration?