MOD to sell off Old Dalby site

Defence Secretary the Rt Hon Michael Fallon MP has today (Tuesday) announced plans to release 13 sites across the UK (more than 1,200 hectares of surplus public sector land).

The sites are expected to provide land for up to 17,000 new homes, contributing to the Government’s target of building 160,000 new homes by 2020.

All of the money generated from land sales will be invested back into meeting the needs of the Armed Forces.

Mr Fallon said: “We’re getting rid of land we don’t need to build homes that we do, generating hundreds of millions of pounds in the process.

“Our commitment to protect and increase the budget for our Armed Forces means that every penny of that will be reinvested into defence, helping to keep Britain safe.”

A statement by Mark Lancaster, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, MOD, said: “The MOD is nearing the completion of an ambitious estate optimisation strategy programme which will provide a plan for a smaller, but significantly better defence estate to meet the needs of the Armed Forces.

“The MOD expects to announce the finalised strategy later this year and can now confirm the expected release of 13 sites. These will contribute some £225 million toward the MOD’s £1 billion target for land release sales as set out in Spending Review 2015. These sites also contribute to the Government’s commitment to provide land for 160,000 homes in this Parliament.”

He added: “Over the coming weeks further work carried out in consultation with all stakeholders will determine the future reprovision of each site. The release of land by the MOD has the potential to provide land for new homes and we 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 acknowledge these moves will have an impact upon civilian and military staff. The department is making arrangements to provide for units and functions based at sites which will not have a future defence requirement.”