Type Fort Open tothe public Yes Built 1867–1880 Opened 1880 | Owner AmaZing Venues Condition Complete Construction started 1860 | |
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No Man's Land Fort is a fort in the Solent, near Portsmouth, England, built as part of the Palmerston Forts. The fort is a sea fort built as a result of the 1859 Royal Commission. It is 2.2 kilometres off the coast of the Isle of Wight.
History
The fort was built between the years 1867 and 1880 to protect Portsmouth. It was built for a cost of £462,500, which if adjusted for inflation is equivalent to £43.4 million at 2010 prices.
No Man's Land Fort is almost identical to Horse Sand Fort. It has been used as a luxury home/hospitality centre for high-paying guests – due to the privacy it offers – with an indoor swimming pool and two helipads. In July 2004, Legionella bacteria found in the hotel's water system forced its closure. The Fort was put up for sale in 2005 and again in 2007, but the company collapsed. In March 2008, Harmesh Pooni, claiming to still be the owner, barricaded himself inside the fort in protest against the administrators KPMG.
The property was eventually sold by KPMG for £910,000 in March 2009. In March 2012, it was purchased by Clarenco (who also own Spitbank Fort and Horse Sand Fort) with the intention of refurbishing it as a hotel. The fort opened as a hotel in April 2015.
The 1972 Doctor Who serial The Sea Devils used the fort as a filming location for several scenes.
Other sea forts include Spitbank Fort, St Helens Fort and Horse Sand Fort.