AN armour-plated lookout post from a disused army base in Holywood has been put up for sale on Facebook for £3,000.
The 15-tonne ‘sangar’ was purchased from the Kinnegar Army Barracks and quickly attracted attention after it posted for sale over the weekend.
While Facebook Marketplace usually is reserved for old sofas and bikes, the listing from a sole trader in Lurgan said it was “part of Northern Ireland history, good man cave”.
Speaking to The Irish News, the seller said that an interested buyer from a museum was already planning to pick up the distinctive item this week.
For many the item will be a reminder of the heavily militarised landscape of the Troubles, with similar lookout posts a familiar sight at army and police stations.
According to the history website, Frontline Ulster, the sangar listed for sale is a MARS 2000.
Used at ground level rather than on a watch tower, a description reads: “With much of the infrastructure earmarked for demolition in 2001 following the latest IRA ceasefire, the new construction or upgrading of fortifications was low on the priorities.
“However, one final design of transportable sangar was introduced as an upgrade to the Multi-Armoured Role Sangar.”
The MARS 2000 saw increased blast performance, in the main due to the introduction of single sheet steel construction (fewer welds and weaknesses) as well as sloped armour and windows.
THE PSNI has become the “preferred bidder” to purchase the disused Kinnegar Army Barracks in Holywood.
In 2016, the Ministry of Defence had declared the base as surplus to requirements but efforts to dispose of the site were delayed by two years after it was used as a mortuary during the pandemic.
During the height of the Troubles, the 54-acre Kinnegar logistics base had employed up to 1,000 civilian staff.
In September, the PSNI confirmed it was the “preferred bidder” to take over the Kinnegar site.
It had been suggested that possible uses could be as a new police headquarters and training college.
