A SECRET nuclear bunker lies hidden in a London council estate with a control centre in the basement which dates back to the Cold War.
Pear Tree House looks like just another humdrum block of flats in suburban South London.
However, the unremarkable building hides a fascinating secret buried below – Pear Tree House in the Central Hill Estate is home to a Cold War-era nuclear bunker.
Completed in 1966, the bunker would have provided refuge for local officials in the event of a nuclear war.
Civil servants and other officials would have lived in the 18 room subterranean structure during the aftermath of a nuclear strike on London.
The officials would have raced into the structure and then sealed the blast door behind them.
They would have been tasked with attempting to provide important civil functions in the event of war as London suffered mass casualties with the NHS overwhelmed.
The bunker’s communications centre would have been a key hub, where officials attempted to stay in touch with the government and other public authorities.
The Scientific Advisors Room was another key area where officials would have monitored nuclear zones in the London area.
The bunker also featured a canteen with serving hatch, toilet facilities and a ventilation system.
In the 1980s the bunker was targeted by anti-nuclear protest groups such as CND.
The structure was used as an emergency centre by London Fire and Civil Defence Authority until the early 1990s.
Local historians retain a keen interest in the site which is a stark reminder of Cold War era Britain.
