The project “Deep” is expected to welcome the first “permanent” inhabitants in 2027.

An initiative aiming to establish a permanent human settlement beneath the ocean by 2027 is underway near Chepstow, the United Kingdom.

Funded by an anonymous ultra-wealthy investor, the project named "Deep" is designed to accommodate dozens of people in capsule-shaped Sentinel structures, which can be interconnected on the sea floor. Their residents would live, work and entertain themselves for up to 28 days at the depth of 200 meters, the team said on the project’s website.

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The goal is not just about creating underwater homes but about deepening humanity’s understanding of the ocean and its role in sustaining life on Earth.

The first Sentinels would be used by researchers and later be available for private rental. Over time, Deep aims to extend human occupancy to months or even indefinitely, achieving its ambitious vision: “to live in the ocean, forever.”

They will include a kitchen, study area, six bedrooms and fully fitted bathroom.

The second, turtle-shaped habitat called Vanguard is smaller and is designed to host short-term missions such as training, reconnaissance and recovery. It will allow divers to spend extended periods of time working underwater and – unlike Sentinel – it can be moved upon necessity to other parts of the ocean.

The project is being currently developed at a former limestone quarry turned into a training facility near Chepstow, where engineers, scientists, and private enthusiasts would learn to live underwater for extended periods.

The investor, whose identity remains a mystery, has already spent the equivalent of $125 million in infrastructure, materials and design plans, according to British press reports.

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The project draws inspiration from past underwater habitation experiments, including Jacques Cousteau’s Conshelf habitats of the 1960s and the Aquarius Reef Base in Florida, which remains the only active undersea research station today.

However, Deep aims to surpass these predecessors by constructing a network of undersea habitats across the globe, facilitating continuous human presence in the ocean.

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