Garrison despair for campaigners over MoD decision
Adam Hewitt • Published 15 Nov 2010 13:30
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THE Ministry of Defence has confirmed it is to close the Arborfield army base but campaigners are accusing councillors of "jumping the gun" by pressing ahead with plans to replace it with a mini-town.
Arborfield Garrison Residents' Action Group (Ag-Rag) claimed the housing scheme was "dead in the water" last month after the Government cancelled a multi-million pound defence training base in South Wales, where the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) was expected to move.
But even without public confirmation on REME's new home, the MoD has told Wokingham Borough Council the base will close by 2015.
Mark Cupit, WBC's head of development management, told the Chronicle this week: "We have received written assurance from the Deputy Chief Executive of Defence Estates that the whole site will be vacated by 2015 and that the MoD in conjunction with adjoining landowners has already instructed the preparation of an outline planning application for submission to WBC in early 2011."
Ag-Rag chairman Martin Rutter said: "We're angry, there was a unanimous decision that it should be deferred. Where on Earth are the MoD going to move those people, and where are they getting the money from? WBC are jumping the gun.
"The Secretary of State has said it will be Spring 2011 before he decides. WBC now seem to be accepting the word of the MoD that the base will close in 2015 despite more than 20 years of broken promises from them."
Cllr Angus Ross, executive member for planning, said the masterplan for the Garrison redevelopment into a mini-town of 3,500 homes with new roads, schools and facilities would be voted on by the executive on January 27 next year.
He said: "We welcome the MoD's news and the continued commitment of the other landowners as it secures the last of the major sites for our development plans to 2026, already adopted by the council. It enables more specific planning to be carried out not only for the housing, but also a secondary school for the south of the borough and many other commercial and community developments."
Despite the Government scrapping of regional housing targets, WBC is pressing ahead with plans for four mini-towns around the borough by 2026, including another equally controversial proposal south of the M4 between Shinfield and Spencers Wood.
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