New hope for RAF Cosford

RAF Cosford's hopes of staying alive as a military base received a boost today with reports that plans to move defence training to South Wales are facing the axe.

Labour's award of a £14bn project for a new state-of-the-art defence training super centre to St Athan is unlikely to be given the green light by the coalition because of its huge cost, according to a Government source.

It opens up the possibility of studies for a much lower-cost replacement - which may mean a reprieve for RAF Cosford near Wolverhampton and secure its future.

It has been estimated that the livelihoods of approximately 30,000 people in Staffordshire and Shropshire depend on the continued operation of the defence training centre at the base.

Its future was put in doubt last year after the contract to become the principal training centre for all three armed forces - and with it, the creation of at least 2,500 jobs - was awarded to RAF St Athan.

The source said: "The logic for something on that site remains compelling - the model does not. It's not impossible that something will go ahead, but it won't be a gargantuan private finance initiative."

Decisions on the future of the UK's defence and security needs, including RAF Cosford, are under review.

The planned academy has been viewed as vulnerable as the coalition is keen to axe £20bn of defence contracts structured as PFIs, with St Athan not yet under contract. The MoD said today decisions would be announced in October.

Shifnal South and Cosford councillor Stuart West said: "A lot of people think Cosford only benefits the people right next to it, but its impact is absolutely vast.

"Moving was a daft idea."