Graeme Dey MSP has expressed his dismay at the revelation that a commitment that land that was supposed to be decontaminated before the site is handed over to Angus Council for free as an adjunct to the Tay Cities Deal is being reneged upon by the UK Government.
The proposal would see 2,500 new homes built on land at RM Condor.
In a letter to Angus South Constituency MSP Graeme Dey, Keith Brown, the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work said:
Lord Duncan gave categorical assurances on behalf of the UK Government at the December meeting that surplus MOD land would be transferred to local authorities, including Angus, at nil cost – as an adjunct to the city region deals – and in a decontaminated condition.
It was therefore extremely disappointing to note that the UK Government, in a letter to me and local authority leaders, now appear to be stepping back from this commitment.
Mr Dey said:
This confirmation that the MOD are reneging on the commitment Lord Duncan gave is further evidence of the complete shambles of an approach the UK Government have on the issue of disposing of part of the base.
As I have said before, getting rid of a well-used portion of RM Condor makes no sense on operational or financial grounds as the Marines will either have to conduct some aspects of their training elsewhere in Scotland or re-establish facilities which exist in this area on what remains of the base.
If disposal was to go ahead then decontamination of the land in question and giving it to the council for housing was the least-bad option because at least that way there would be some genuine public benefit.
But now we have the MOD backpedalling.
It would be interesting to know what Angus Council’s leadership makes of being misled, and where their housing proposals for the land now stand.
The MSP has also written to UK defence secretary Gavin Williamson seeking a full explanation.
