I bought a 250-year-old prison – now I want to turn it into a Silicon Valley mini-city… and you can stay there
AN ENTREPRENEUR who bought a 250-year-old prison has revealed he plans on transforming it into a mini Silicon Valley city.
David de Min paid the Ministry of Defence a whopping £1.8million for a site they’ve used as a prison and immigration detention since the 1950s.
The 33-acre fortress, known as the Citadel, sits on Dover’s Western Height and is entered via a concrete bridge over a grassy dried-up moat.
Inside the compound lies a listed 19th-century officers’ mess which David plans on converting into a luxury hotel.
The 33-year-old plans to build sustainable homes, create a biohacking lab, and open a restaurant in the “Secret Garden.”
He also wants to convert the site’s tunnels into underground bars and a spa.
David aims to host Techfort, a hub for start-ups where they can pursue their ideas for sustainable technology.
He has previously supported “biohacking”, a practice focused on pushing the body to its limits to enhance physical and mental performance.
David is passionate about ideas relating to living longer.
So far, the entrepreneur has only renovated the prison’s former healthcare centre, which he has made his home for the past three years.
His seven-bedroom flat is fitted with a sauna and a gym.
David’s property also boasts an office, where he spends most of his days mind-mapping new product ideas.
The British-Dutch son of a retired Shell oil engineer secured more than £1million to develop the site.
He secured the substantial sum through the government’s Getting Building Fund, designed to boost jobs and infrastructure in areas hardest hit by the pandemic.
The 33-year-old claimed the profits he and his family made from flipping properties were used to buy the site.
David also rents out the fort to film producers which helps generate more cash.
It was recently used in the production of the upcoming Marvel film Kraven the Hunter.
Locals in the area aren’t familiar with David or his Silicon Valley goals, and some are sceptical about the potential benefits for them.
Fiona, a customer service assistant in Dover’s branch of travel agent Tui, said: “Attracting luxury clientele is not going to affect any of us on the high street.”
However, some residents are optimistic about the change David could bring to the place.
“The town is dying on its feet,” said Heather Horne, 64, owner of nearby Stanley’s coffee bar and lounge.
“Anything that brings something to Dover would be brilliant.”
David’s plan for the Citadel could take up to 20 years to complete.
However, he intends to launch the first phase of exploring sustainable technology in June 2025.
It comes after a mum revealed that she bought a castle behind her husband’s back after spotting a bargain.
And Britain’s richest Gypsy has vowed to go to war with the council to get his mega-skyscraper off the ground.