Plans have been drawn up to transform a group of defence forts in the Thames estuary into a hotel complex and museum. The Redsand Forts were designed to shoot down German planes during the Second World War – particularly those attempting to drop anti-ship mines in the estuary’s busy waters. The forts are located seven miles off the Kent coast, near Whitstable.

The towers were abandoned in the 1950s and at one stage became the base for a pirate radio station. Now architects have drawn up plans to refurbish the existing structures. The concept, called ‘rubber ringing’, proposes a new central hub around the old ‘Control Tower’, with a hotel foyer, restaurant and sun terraces. This hub would be linked by glass walkways, in place of the historical bridges, to the ‘Gun Towers’ which would house around 40 standard, executive and penthouse rooms with a health spa located in another tower.

A museum dedicated to the ingenuity of civil engineer and designer of the forts, Guy Maunsell, is proposed within the ‘Searchlight Tower’, with its own separate arrival jetty.

A helicopter pad would allow guests to be flown in, while others could be ferried by catamaran to a new jetty at the base of the central tower - with departure envisaged from London Docklands, Southend- on-Sea or Whitstable.

This is not the first time that the UK's former sea defences have been converted into hotel and leisure destinations. Amazing Venues have opened both No Man's Fort and Spitbank Fort in the Solent into luxury hotel accommodation. These forts were built during the Napoleonic wars. A third Solent fort - Horse Sand Fort - is currently being renovated.

Details:  www.arosarchitects.com