What it is: Fifty brochures were sent out in the first week for this unlisted underground bunker and concrete lookout post on the outskirts of Tendring, seven miles from Clacton-on-Sea and 25 from Ipswich. Set in 0.18 of an acre (about 7,840sq ft), the former Ministry of Defence bunker was built in the 1950s to monitor nuclear activity during the Cold War, and was later used by British Telecom.

There is an open viewing day on Friday, June 9, and the deadline for final offers is June 30. Tender packs are available for £5, and the successful bidder will have to pay £1,000 plus Vat towards costs.

The problems: As a former spying centre, it’s not quite a James Bond lair or a prime building plot. Lift the bunker’s lid and shimmy down the 14ft ladder and the interior is untouched. The visitors’ log, and health and safety signs of the day, are still in situ, along with old BT equipment, kitchen utensils and office furniture. The main room is 15ft x 7.5ft and has a small loo to the side.

Located just off a main road, access is easy, although there are no services nearby. No investigations have been made regarding residential development, but it is unlikely that you will be able to build a family house on the site; the most development you are likely to be granted is for storage or as a day studio.

The advantages: This is a chance to “own a piece of British countryside and British history”, according to the agent. The bunker would suit birdwatchers and picnickers who wanted to own a field of their own with a loo on site. Other bunkers have been converted into photographic studios and mushroom farms.

Robinson & Hall, 01473 831 531, www.robinsonandhall.co.uk

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