A GLASS-bottomed swimming pool, exclusive restaurants and stylish staircases are hardly what you would associate with a former nuclear bunker.

But plans and drawings to turn the bunker at Soar, near Salcombe, into a luxury hotel have been released.

The 15-metre concrete landmark could soon have 30 bedrooms, a gym and a dance studio according to initial drawings by architects Michael Phillips and Amanda Morgan, of MP2 Design, Kingsbridge, who put forward ideas to transform the Cold War nuclear bunker after hearing it was up for sale.

Mr Phillips said: 'It is no secret that the bunker is on the market and I would rather see something nice done with it than have it fall into the wrong hands and lost altogether.

'We've spent the last year looking at different designs and inspirations and we are keen to keep the majority of the original building.

'The project we have envisaged would cost in the region of £12m but everything is still very much in the discussion stage.

'Although we're changing the function of he building, we hope to have a museum with all the original 1950s equipment.

'We have no developers as yet and nothing is for certain – it is very much a case of us having ideas and sharing them for discussion.'

The bunker was built in the early 1950s as part of an RAF defence scheme in the Cold War.

In 1958, following the departure of the RAF, it was transferred to the Home Office for the regional seat of government which would control the South West in the event of nuclear war.

As well as renovating the bunker, the couple hope to build around 20 holiday cottages on the surrounding land to market as self-catering family lets.

Mr Phillips said that doing so would both meet the demand of the popular family holiday market and make the project financially viable.

The couple presented their ideas to a meeting of Salcombe Town Council this week following previous meetings with Malborough Parish Council and the site's immediate neighbours, with reactions so far proving good but apprehensive.

Malborough council chairman John Yeoman said: 'The hotel would certainly make a change and be a big positive in terms of local employment opportunities, but who in reality is going to take them?

'In this country there is a poor attitude towards the hospitality industry and I fear people from abroad will end up taking the service jobs.

'The change would also prompt a traffic problem in the village and lanes and I'm not sure of the venture's overall practicality.

'As a parish council, we are not completely against this ambitious idea, just a bit apprehensive. It would certainly be a big change for people to take on board and I can see the project drawing a lot of resistance from locals – people don't often like change.

'That said if everything goes how Mr Phillips hopes it will, it could be a very good change indeed.'

Among the plans to transform the bunker is the installation of an extra story with skylights, which will allow light to infiltrate through the roof and through a glass-bottomed swimming pool into the underground level of the building.

Mr Phillips said: 'This underground level needs more natural light, so we wanted to let sunlight filter through the building.

'As the light will be offset from movement in the pool, it will provide the perfect ambience for the spa downstairs and the bunker museum, which will showcase the existing machinery.

'As well as this, we will be replacing some of the concrete exterior with windows to enhance the light and maximise the views of the beautiful surrounding countryside.

'There will also be solar panels on the south side of the building to exploit the natural light.'

Perhaps the key point of the pair's innovative design is the running of the property, which they want to make as sustainable as possible.

Mr Phillips and Ms Morgan hope to use the two generators and fuel tanks currently on site along with a number of sustainable measures.

Mr Phillips said: 'The solar panels will be operated by an astronomic clock which will tilt them at the optimum angle to absorb the most sunlight.

'The generators and tanks will be modernised and the excess heat produced would be used to heat the swimming pool rather than wasted.

'There would also be tanks to collect and store rainwater to use for laundry and other grey water purposes.

'And finally we hope to have a fleet of electric cars for customers to use incorporated into the room price to allow them to explore the South Hams while having no impact on the environment.

'Overall we are hoping for a zero per cent carbon footprint and for the hotel to run entirely on its own sustainable measures. It's a really exciting and challenging project and we really hope we get the chance to advance our initial ideas.'

Mr Phillips and Ms Morgan have been in architecture for a combined total of 48 years and specialise in designing boutique hotels. Their portfolio includes the South Sands Hotel in Salcombe, which they redesigned to win a Devon Building Control quality and sustainability award.