The Ministry of Defence has confirmed it is the Government’s intention to dispose of a considerable number of additional military and defence related sites with many to be sold by 2021. Last year’s Strategic Defence Review outlined the MOD’s aim to reduce the size of the defence estate by 30% before 2040. The latest announcements take the number of sites due to be closed under the current review to 91. This will amount to more than 1,200 hectares of public sector defence land including 10 surplus airfields and five golf courses. It is the Government’s ambition that a sizeable proportion of these surplus properties will be expected to be re-developed for new housing.
As many of the sites to be re-developed possibly contain heritage assets, Historic England have also confirmed that it is working closely with the Defence Infrastructure Organisation to assess redundant sites and areas with potential for substantial redevelopment. The work relates to ensuring significant historic structures and areas of archaeological interest are properly identified. Historic England has also confirmed it will be assessing features of national importance for protection and offering advice on master planning.
Most of the property assets to be disposed of will be in England, though a number are also in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. A complete list of all the currently identified sites to be sold with a timetable for their disposal is available from FoddyConsult. Of most note though is that by 2021 the following key properties will have been released:
· Parts of Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire
· Gloucester Barracks, Grantham
· Imphal Barracks, York
· Woolwich Station, East London
· Park Barracks, Maidstone
· HMS Sultan, Gosport
· Kneller Hall, Twickenham
· Vauxhall Barracks, Didcot
· Chalgrove Airfield, Oxfordshire
· Dalton Barracks & Abingdon Airfield, Oxfordshire
· Fort George, Scotland
For more information contact:
John Foddy, Managing Director, FoddyConsult
