TL;DR
Get kitchen gear delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
A house in Tilehurst, Reading, featuring a 15m deep underground tunnel network hand-dug by its owner over two decades is on sale for £300,000. The property includes a secret entrance hidden behind a rocket and a hand-built railway, with planning consent for new housing. The listing highlights the unique subterranean space as a potential secure storage or data center site.
The property, located in a suburb of Reading, features a subterranean network that descends through four levels. According to the listing details, the excavation was conducted manually using only buckets and wheelbarrows during the 1980s and 1990s. The complex includes storage rooms, corridors, and a one-tonne goods lift constructed to move excavated chalk to ground level. A 1.5-tonne sliding concrete wall serves as one of two secret doors within the network, while another entrance is hidden inside the rocket structure by the pool.
The surface property includes a 2,500 sq ft workshop arranged over three floors, parking, gardens, and the swimming pool area. Planning consent was granted by West Berkshire Council in December 2024 for the construction of a 5,000 sq ft, five-bedroom house on the site of the swimming pool. Additionally, consent exists for the conversion of the existing workshop into a three-bedroom house. The underground space itself is not currently designated for residential use but is marketed as a versatile asset.
Auctioneer Richard Worrall of BTG Eddisons described the site as unique in his professional experience. He noted that the tunnels were dug through chalk, which is naturally self-supporting, though structural concrete was cast by hand in specific areas. The excavation was aided by a hand-built railway system designed to transport the chalk through the tunnels. The existence of the complex remained largely unknown to neighbors for decades, accessible only via a secure gated driveway.
Unique Subterranean Assets in Housing Market
This listing highlights a rare intersection of residential real estate and specialized infrastructure. While the surface property offers standard housing potential through approved planning consents, the underground network represents an unusual asset class. Auctioneer Richard Worrall suggests the space could serve as secure storage, a fallout shelter, or an EMP-resistant data center. This positioning reflects a growing niche interest in properties with defensive or high-security capabilities, often appealing to specific buyer demographics looking for resilience against environmental or technological threats.
The sale also underscores the value of planning consent in the current market. The ability to build a new five-bedroom home and convert a workshop adds tangible residential value to the listing, potentially offsetting the niche nature of the underground tunnels. For investors, the property offers a dual proposition: a conventional development site with the added intrigue and potential utility of a 1,300 sq ft subterranean complex that requires no modern excavation costs.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Decades of Manual Excavation by Deane Family
The underground project began in the 1960s with the construction of changing rooms next to the property’s swimming pool, hidden behind the rocket structure. Civil engineer Tony Deane, whose day job involved constructing aerodrome and airport infrastructure, expanded the project significantly in the following decades. He was assisted by his six children, who helped dig through the chalk using manual tools. The family’s approach relied on the natural stability of the chalk geology, minimizing the need for extensive shoring, though concrete was used where necessary.
The scale of the work was concealed from the surrounding residential area. Neighbors were reportedly unaware of the depth and extent of the tunnels, which extend 15m below ground. The project required the removal of vast amounts of chalk, which was transported via the hand-built railway and the one-tonne goods lift. The secrecy of the project meant that the full scope of the underground network was not publicly known until the property was prepared for sale.
“In all my years as an auctioneer, I’ve never seen anything like this before – it’s utterly amazing and, I think, unique.”
— Richard Worrall, auctioneer at BTG Eddisons Property Auctions
EMP resistant data center equipment
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Unresolved Questions on Tunnels’ Legal Status
It is not yet clear how local authorities will regulate the ongoing use of the underground tunnels. While planning consent exists for surface buildings, the listing does not specify whether the existing underground rooms have formal approval for any specific use, such as residential occupancy or commercial storage. Buyers may face uncertainty regarding insurance coverage for the subterranean structures, particularly given their manual construction and unique features like the sliding concrete wall.
Additionally, the structural integrity of the hand-dug chalk tunnels over time has not been publicly detailed in the listing. Prospective buyers would likely need to commission their own surveys to assess the stability of the four-level network and the condition of the hand-cast concrete. The long-term maintenance requirements for the goods lift and the secret doors also remain unspecified.
security doors for underground tunnels
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Auction Bidding and Due Diligence Timeline
The property will be offered in BTG Eddisons Property Auctions’ live stream auction on 28-29 October. Interested parties are directed to the auctioneer’s website for bidding information. Given the unique nature of the asset, the sale process may involve extended due diligence periods for serious buyers, particularly those considering the underground space for non-residential purposes. If the property does not meet its reserve price, it may be withdrawn or relisted with adjusted terms.
Future developments will depend on the buyer’s intentions. If the surface consents are utilized, the construction of the five-bedroom house and the workshop conversion will proceed. The fate of the underground network will then be determined by the new owner, who may choose to maintain it as a curiosity, convert it for secure storage, or seek further planning permissions for alternative uses.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Key Questions
How deep are the underground tunnels?
The underground network descends through four levels and reaches more than 15 meters below ground.
What is the guide price for the property?
The property has a guide price of £300,000 to £325,000 and is being sold via a live stream auction.
Can the underground tunnels be used as a home?
The listing does not indicate that the underground tunnels have planning consent for residential use. They are marketed for potential uses such as secure storage or a data center, while surface buildings have consent for residential construction.
How were the tunnels constructed?
The tunnels were hand-dug over two decades using buckets and wheelbarrows. A hand-built railway and a one-tonne goods lift were used to transport excavated chalk.
Source: hn
Halloween Picks
halloween
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
