Telford's rival for MoD military hub in battlecry
Telford is in for a fight for the right to host a military base that would create 700 jobs – after leaders in rival Bicester said they were sure their town would win the contract.
The MoD is planning to concentrate its logistics operations in Bicester and Donnington to just one of the sites.
It has created a two-way race where the prize is an estimated £60 million-a-year boost to the local economy.
Telford & Wrekin Council last week revealed it was borrowing £120 million from the government to buy up land that could accommodate the expansion in Donnington.
Council leaders are upbeat about Telford's chances of landing the contract when it is announced in the autumn.
But leaders in the Oxfordshire town also insist that they expect to land the MoD contract.
The Bicester centre forms part of a wider planning application – the council is also buying land from the MoD for up to 1,900 self-build homes at Graven Hill.
Barry Wood, leader of the area's Cherwell Council, said: "We have now exchanged contracts with the MoD for Graven Hill and a lot of work is taking place behind the scenes to ensure we are ready to hit the ground running once we do acquire the site.
"But alongside all of this, we are still working to secure the future of the fulfilment centre in Bicester which will not only protect 420 existing jobs in the town, but create hundreds more.
"We are aware the MoD is negotiating between Bicester and a second site within Telford & Wrekin Council to consolidate its operations, but are proactively holding discussions so the MoD is in no doubt about our support for this centre.
"With our support and the geographical benefits that Bicester offers by being centrally located, we are confident of keeping this centre, and consequently its jobs, in the town."
MoD Donnington already provides logistics support for the Army, and Telford & Wrekin Council has bought land next to the existing site, with planning permission to build, in preparation of its bid.
David Sidaway, the council's director of development and business, told a meeting last week: "The difference between totally losing Donnington or completely winning the bid could be up to £60m per year extra in the Telford and Wrekin economy.
"That's just under two per cent of the annual economy of Telford and Wrekin."
