Plan of action agreed over closure of Clive Barracks

A new task force was recently launched to ensure that the redevelopment of the barracks runs smoothly after it closes in 2020.

North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson, who is behind the group, said he met local councillors and representatives from the Ministry of Defence at a task force meeting earlier this month.

During that meeting they agreed a plan of action where they will be holding regular meetings and visit other former military sites which have been developed.

Mr Paterson said: "We had a very good Tern Hill Task Force meeting in Shrewsbury with local councillors and the representatives from the Ministry of Defence, where we agreed to a plan of action.

"We will be holding regular meetings in the future and we are in the process of planning our first visit to a former MoD site, which we will visit soon."

David Minnery, mayor of Market Drayton, added: "There is a 'task force' of council officers working up possible solutions and there is at least one visit scheduled to see a former base that has been redeveloped. "

It comes weeks after the Ministry of Defence announced it will be closing the barracks, which is home to the 1st Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment, to make way for hundreds of new homes.

At the time, it said the site had potential to provide land for up to 600 houses, but Councillor David Minnery, mayor of Market Drayton, said nothing had been decided for the future use of the area.

The base is one of 10 sites across the country that will be disposed of to generate extra money – but not every site will follow the same plan for its use.

The money generated from sale of the land will be ploughed back into defence spending and it has been claimed most of the sites will be sold in time to contribute to the Government's target of 160,000 new homes by 2020.

Recently it was revealed Shropshire Council has begun discussions with the owners of Tern Hill with the aim of drafting "master plans" for the future.

Councillor Malcolm Price, the authority's cabinet member for planning, said any developments need to be mixed use and must be "sustainable".

He said: "The easy avenue for those sites would be just to go for housing which is not appropriate. We need to look at employment and other uses for the sites."