Super garrison hopes for base

During a visit to the base yesterday, Bob Ainsworth said the Beaconside site is being considered alongside RAF Cosford for the role, which would see it housing thousands of troops returning home from Germany.

It has previously been revealed that RAF Cosford was the focus of plans to create a West Midlands super garrison under national proposals put forward by Mr Ainsworth.

It was previously thought that MoD Stafford could act as an "overspill" if there was not enough room for all the troops at the airbase near Shifnal.

But speaking to the Express & Star during his "fact-finding" visit to Beaconside yesterday, Mr Ainsworth said all options were being considered and declined to rule out Stafford itself becoming the primary site.

Pointing to MoD Stafford's rail and road links, and the fact that only half of its land is currently in use, he said: "The troops coming back from Germany at the moment are scheduled to go to Cosford – that is the primary plan – but we're looking at a fall back situation with regards to Stafford. We've got to look at what's feasible over a period of time."

Mr Ainsworth said that Stafford provides a "massive potential" and the idea of expanding the base had met with "huge enthusiasm" from the military community when he toured the base and inspected equipment.

He said: "The reason for looking around and for talking to people today is because it's a good way of getting a feel for the place.

"They really do appreciate the way they are welcomed and Stafford is a really good place to be based. It's a very good host. There's an awful lot of land here and there are big opportunities here.

"It's whether or not we can stack the financing up. The who, the what and the why, certainly needs to be put together."

Referring to the 10,000 extra homes set to be created in Stafford Borough through the Local Development Framework scheme, Mr Ainsworth said: "I know Stafford is a growth area. If we were to see growth on our site here then some of the housing growth would be for MoD properties.

"There are a lot of things that need to be thought through but I know from speaking to David Kidney that local people are enthusiastic for Stafford to be exploited to the full."

Later in the afternoon, Mr Ainsworth met with representatives of Stafford Borough Council at the Riverside Civic Centre to discuss the possibilities of expanding the base with them.

Stafford MP David Kidney said he understood Mr Ainsworth would make an announcement on the proposals within the next few months but the super garrison project could take several years to come to fruition.

Speaking about the visit, Mr Kidney said he welcomed the economic benefits the redevelopment could bring. He said: "I was heartened by how positive he was on how positive a part Stafford has got to play.

"Just a few years ago they were shrinking the RAF presence at the base and everyone was quite downhearted about it and thought it was going to close. Now, the situation has been completely reversed."