Fresh doubts over RAF Cosford future

Fresh doubt has been cast over the future of RAF Cosford as a military base after the new coalition Government signalled it had no intention of switching plans to construct a defence super-centre at an air force base in South Wales to Shropshire instead.

Campaigners had hoped for a reversal of the previous Labour government's decision on the super-centre, but those hopes have been dashed.

Armed Forces Minister Nick Harvey has indicated that a reversal on the decision is out of the question.

The Conservatives promised a review of the transfer if they won power.

Mr Harvey stopped short of guaranteeing the £13bn project currently under way at St Athan would get the green light from the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition as part of its strategic defence review, which is expected to be driven by the need to scale back spending.

But he said to "change courses" would "add to the final costs considerably".

In addition, he was unable to shed any further light on shelved plans to move UK troops based in Germany to RAF Cosford — its only other hope of staying alive as a military base.

Troops

Plans for the movement of 2,600 troops from Germany to Cosford, due to start in 2016 under Operation Barona, have been delayed to 2018 - putting 400 jobs at the Shropshire airfield at risk.

Mr Harvey said the plans were still under review.

His comments came after Shropshire MP Mark Pritchard urged him to consider the merits of relocating some brigades to St Athan, while suggesting Cosford should remain the principal training centre for the armed forces.

Raising the issue during Defence Questions in the Commons yesterday, Mr Pritchard said: "Does it not make sense, given the presence of the extra special forces support group and the 1st Battalion Parachute Regiment and indeed the logistic hangars and the very long runway indeed at RAF St Athan in Wales, to actually have 1 and 2 logistics brigade return to St Athan rather than RAF Cosford in Shropshire?" asked the Tory MP.

Work is under way to move the Defence College of Aeronautical Engineering, currently at Cosford airbase near Shifnal, to Wales from 2014.

Mr Harvey said: "To change courses as you suggest now, would undo a great deal of investment that has already been made and add to the final costs considerably."

By London reporter Sunita Patel