The Ministry of Defence has moved to reassure Army families based at Claro Barracks in Ripon and Chetwynd in Nottingham following the Government announcement that it is releasing surplus defence land for housebuilding.
In a statement issued to AFF it said: “You may have seen that the Government has today announced its intention to build on surplus defence land. The Chancellor confirmed that the first works to commence will include a site in Ripon, which will be transferred from Defence to Homes England to allow construction at Deverell Barracks to start within 12 months, delivering 1,300 homes.
“They also aim to unlock a further 1,300 homes by partially releasing land at Chetwynd Barracks, Chilwell and deliver thousands of new homes at Wyton airfield in Cambridgeshire in the coming years.
‘No impact’ for Service families
“Although you will have already been aware of the plans for both Deverell and Chetwynd Barracks, we want to assure you that the timeline remains unchanged and there will be no impact for Service families at either of these sites, until re-provision is complete at other sites.
“This does not impact posting notices and Service personnel will receive clarification of this through the chain of command.
The statement added unlocking the land for housing was an opportunity to create jobs and improve homeownership for the next generation, and it included a commitment to building and modernising family homes for the Armed Forces and veterans.
It added: “We remain committed to providing families with the service they deserve and we will keep families updated along the journey.”
Housing plan accelerated
The announcement on Wednesday by Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves relates to how the future development of the sites after military use will be delivered.
Families who have questions are encouraged to raise them through the chain of command.
Plans for the redevelopment of land at Claro Barracks and neighbouring Deverell Barracks after the Army moves out were laid out in a vision document published in 2018 and planning permission was granted for 1,300 houses in 2023.
It was one of seven locations, including Chetwynd Barracks, listed in a government scheme launched in 2019 that was expected to deliver around 10,000 new homes.
POSTED ON 28 MARCH 2025
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