Fort Star Luxury: Abandoned WWII Gun Towers Set To Become Spa Hotel For The Super-Rich

A set of abandoned gun towers from the Second World War are to be transformed into a luxury spa hotel for guests looking for the ultimate in relaxation.

The Red Sands forts - situated in the Thames Estuary off the Kent coast - are huge metal gun towers that were installed in 1943 to defend against the German Navy and Luftwaffe.

But after being decommissioned by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) in 1956, the towers have been left to fall into disrepair.

Now a firm is looking to splash out an astonishing £400 million in transforming the seven structures into an invitation-only luxury retreat that would feature a retail complex, a roof terrace, a helipad and a gym suite, all linked by glass walkways.

Anyone visiting the resort would only be able to get there by helicopter or catamaran as they stand six miles from the shore.

Luxury: The gun towers would be linked by glass walkways (SWNS)

London-based Next Big Thing has published a brochure about The Maunsell in a bid to lure investors and retired businessman and project manager David Cooper, 72, said “there will be no other hotel in the world in such an iconic location as the Thames Estuary and with the history of WW2 behind it”.

He said: “Guests will only be able to access the hotel by either helicopter or catamaran and in effect it will be similar to Neckar Island owned by Sir Richard Branson but without the glorious weather - except hopefully in the summer.”

The Next Big Thing are hoping that the structures will be a base for a billionaire to set up their own hotel for similarly wealthy guests from across the globe.

Cooper said that the proposals are the “only solution” to keeping the structures in place.

Defence: The gunships were built to protect Britain during WWII (Wikipedia)

He added: "Unless the hotel project progresses over the next five to 10 years the forts will drop into the sea.

"A hotel development is the only way to preserve the forts.

The giant fortresses were named after their designer Guy Maunsell and three sets were built in the Thames Estuary - the Nore forts, Red Sands and Shivering Sands.

The bastions were assembled after the London Blitz and they jointly shot down 22 enemy aircraft, 30 V1 flying bombs, and one U-boat.

Any developers hoping to develop the forts would need the consent of the Crown, the Maritime Marine Organisation and the Port of London Authority.

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Top pic: SWNS