Defence Estate Rationalisation

Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton Excerpts

Thursday 24th March 2016 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Mark Lancaster)]

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is currently developing an ambitious programme of estate rationalisation which will provide a plan for a smaller, but significantly better defence estate to meet the needs of the armed forces as set out in the strategic defence and security review 2015. This strategic review of the defence estate will provide a more efficient and better infrastructure laydown in support of military capability for future generations. The MOD expects to announce the final results of this review in the autumn of 2016 but can today confirm the expected release of 10 sites, shown in the table below. The release of these sites supports the generation of £1 billion through land sales and, in part, supports the contribution of up to 55,000 homes to support wider Government targets within this Parliament.

These sites also contribute to the Government commitment to provide land for 160,000 homes to be built in this Parliament. The intent to dispose of these 10 sites is estimated to provide some £140 million in land sales receipts and land to provide up to 7,000 homes —of which 6,000 is expected in this Parliament—in addition to the land for up to 15,000 homes announced on 18 January 2016.

The Department seeks to provide a future basing structure for the defence estate across the UK. It aims to better support military capability and force generation; allow the formation of clusters of sites which facilitate the collocation of similar functions and thereby reduce running costs through shared resources; as well as dispose of under-utilised sites for which there is no longer a long-term defence requirement.

I acknowledge that these moves will have an impact upon civilian and military staff. Over the coming months further work, carried put in consultation with all stakeholders including staff associations and the families federations, will determine the future provision for the occupants of these sites. Details on the sequencing and timing of these moves will be established this autumn. The MOD will continue to engage with impacted local authorities to determine how the Department’s assessment of housing unit allocation against each site may be considered as part of the authority’s local plan. I will make a further announcement later this year.

List of Defence sites for potential disposal