"Terrible waste": Fort Blockhouse in Gosport remains dormant as MoD seeks to find buyers amid Warner Bros tour

Officials at The Ministry of Defence (MoD) are trying to deal with the disposal of Fort Blockhouse in Gosport, but have yet to find a suitable buyer or determine the site’s future.

Grand plans were unveiled in 2023 to turn the fortification into a mixed-use development of houses and businesses, but little had moved on since. Conservative MP Caroline Dinenage, said there is commercial interest in the site and gave representatives from prestigious filmmakers Warner Bros a tour.

She told The News: “Fort Blockhouse was first designated for disposal in the 2016 Better Defence Estate strategy paper, but since then the date for disposal has slipped. The Fort represents a prime area of waterfront real estate, and the fact that it continues to sit unused by either the MoD or a private landlord is a terrible waste of public money.”

What could happen to Fort Blockhouse?

A firm disposal date of 2025 was given to Fort Blockhouse 1 in the MoD’s Defence Estate Optimisation (DEO) Portfolio. The government department on its website that any site without a military use would be dealt with. The need for the government to better make use of the defence estate was highlighted in the recently published Strategic Defence Review (SDR).

“There is significant opportunity to exploit the Defence estate - which covers approximately one per cent of the UK’s landmass - to generate income for the MOD and meet the wider needs of Defence and the Government,” it said. “Disposal may release funding for immediate use but it is not always the most effective way to generate revenue and realise value.”

Under the recommendations fully accepted by the government, an Infrastructure Recapitalisation Plan will be presented to the defence secretary in 2026. A further recommendation said the MoD must assess how it can best generate income from its estate and maximise the value of its assets, and adjust the DEO programme accordingly.

Data published in 2024 said more than 1,450 hectares of surplus defence land at 26 sites was released under the programme, generating roughly £250m in net disposal receipts. Disposals of military sites and land take place with the guidance of the Treasury.

An MoD spokesperson confirmed they are still looking to sell Fort Blockhouse. “Fort Blockhouse 1 remains surplus to military requirements and we continue to work with stakeholders over the sale of the site,” they said.

Making the most of military assets

An inquiry was launched in December last year to scrutinise how heritage assets are maintained and protected - including those owned by the MoD. The Culture, Media and Sport Committee will examine the importance of several heritage sites in the UK and any barriers to their preservation, with defence sites such as Fort Blockhouse being included in the list.

Ms Dinenage said: “If we are to maximise the benefits of Blockhouse to the Gosport peninsula, the status quo cannot continue. I have pressed the government to commit to a date and see the disposal through, and I will continue to keep pushing the government to avoid this situation where a potentially fantastic economic asset is rotting at taxpayers' expense."