Holiday home plans for rare air raid shelters at RAF Blyton

Plans have been revealed to “rescue” rare surviving Second World War shelters by turning them into holiday homes.
One of the shelters.One of the shelters.
One of the shelters.

The shelters are located in woodland off Blyton Road at Laughton, which was part of RAF Blyton.

Richard and Vivian Ritson, who have owned the land for the last four years, said they wanted to see the Stanton air raid shelters ‘rescued’, in the plans they submitted to West Lindsey District Council for approval.

They said: “We consider them to be a valuable and unique part of Lincolnshire.

One of the shelters.One of the shelters.
One of the shelters.

“We will carry out full restoration of one shelter, and sensitive modification of the remaining three for use as holiday accommodation.

“Although these shelters were very common, few remain throughout the UK today.”

They also said they wanted to improve the woodland surrounding the shelters, which self-set 75 years ago.

They plan to build 20 holiday lodges to match the size and shape of the Nissen Huts which stood there decades before, and which the footings can still be seen.

The site was used as accommodation for officers, sergeants and airmen, in hut buildings so they would be a safe distance from the airfield.

Similar plans for the site were also submitted last year but were tuned down.

The owners also said they had experienced “continuing vandalism” which they said, if allowed to continue, would “render the shelters beyond repair”.