Monument record TQ 67 SW 184 - Civil defence control centre, Council Ave, Northfleet

TQ 6442 7292. The former Civil Defence Control Centre is situated adjacent to the gates of Woodlands Park on Wrotham Road. A design drawing held on site indicates that planning for the centre began in 1952, but it was not formally opened until July 1954. It remained operational until 1968 when the Civil Defence Corps was stood down,
but was maintained into the 1970s.

On the surface the Control Centre appears as a low earthwork mound, with four ventilators protruding through the surface. At its northern end the stairs of the emergency exit rise to a small steel escape door.

Historic England archive material: BF109335 Civil Defence Control Centre, Woodlands Park, Wrotham, Gravesend

The Control Centre is constructed from reinforced concrete and is rectangular in plan 19.8m x 13.7m, its roof is 0.46m thick and is earth covered. It is entered from Wrotham Road down a flight of stairs which lead to an outer steel door. This gives access to an off centre longitudinal north to south corridor, with an emergency escape door at the far end. On entering a door on the west side opens into the Plant Room. Access into the main corridor is barred by another steel door, but no attempt has been made to seal the centre against gas or provide a decontamination area. Doors off the western side of the corridor give access to the Women's Dormitory, Women's Toilet, Men's Toilet and a small store at the end of the corridor.

A plaque on the corridor wall records the opening of the centre. `Gravesend Civil Defence Sub-division Gravesend. Northfleet. Swanscombe this building comprising the Sub-divisional Control Centre and Gravesend Borough Control Centre was opened on 7 July 1954 by Sir Arthur Hutchinson KBE, CB, CVO Deputy Under Secretary of State Home Office G E Hill Borough Engineer BA, AMIINST, CE, MI MUNE'.

Doors off the eastern side of the corridor give access to the rooms down the central spine of the Control Centre, the Messengers' Room, Message Room, Liaison Officer's Room and Male Dormitory. From the Message Room information was fed into the two large Control Rooms down the eastern side of the centre. The southern one was occupied by the Sub-divisional Control and the northern one by the District Control. In between the two is the Controller's Room.

Some original fittings survive in the centre, these include, ventilating plant, toilets, telephonists' booths (in the Message Room) and map boards with adjustable lights in the Control Rooms.

The Control Centre is currently being developed as a Cold War Heritage Centre by members of the New Tavern Fort Society and the Gravesend Historical Society. (1-3)

Listed. For the designation record of this site please see The National Heritage List for England. (4-5)

<1> Not applicable, SMR Kent uncatalogued index entry, Site visit by VTC Smith 1995 (Miscellaneous Material). SKE6440.