Reading in the P&J today, the Ministry of Defence confirmed that it owns more than 900 houses either outright or under a private finance initiative.
Gordon(Nice Guy with Elvis hair)Hay, of Harvey Donaldson & Gibson chartered surveyors in Elgin, said closure of the bases at Kinloss & Lossiemouth would over-saturate Moray’s housing market in the rental and home-ownership sectors.
Sellers would be forced to accept lower prices, developers would stop building, and tradesmen would be out of work, he argued.
“It’s a knock-on effect. It’s not just property value that will be affected. Nothing positive could be taken out of this at all,” he said.
Moray Solicitors Property Centre chairman Sandy Mitchell said that closing a base would take a few years, hopefully giving the area time to absorb the impact.
HIE's manager for Moray, Calum MacPherson, said a recent report in this matter provided a factual base for decision-makers.
He added: “Due to the scale and long-term presence of the RAF in Moray the two bases are woven into the surrounding communities, not least because they support at least 16% of local employment. The threat to the economy and population in the region is therefore more acute in Moray than other region in the UK."
Moray business leader, Chamber of Commerce chief executive Jim Johnston, said nobody should be in any doubt about the value of the bases to the economy.
“It’s the equivalent of taking a town the size of Keith and closing it down. Just obliterating it from the face of the earth,” he added.
Moray Council convener George McIntyre said: “In addition to the economic input, the RAF personnel and their families play a vital role in the communities in the region with significant contributions to volunteer and charity work.
“It is vital the decision-makers consider the economic and social consequences of the defence review.”
A government document leaked earlier this month revealed plans to save £7.5billion by grounding RAF Lossie’s 120-strong fleet of Tornado GR4/GR4As.
RAF Kinloss is equally insecure.
The base has lost all its Nimrod MR2 surveillance aircraft and is waiting for the arrival of the next generation of Nimrod MRA4s. Which will no doubt land, therefore honouring BAE's contract, then turn straight around and head 'down South'
The MoD said speculation was “entirely unfounded”.
Speculation is rife around Moray, with stories about the Army moving into Kinloss, the Navy into Lossiemouth, Richard Branson basing Virgin Galctic here, etc... etc....
Lets' face it, no one knows, certainly not your butcher, hairdresser or the local journalists.
No local report is going to carry any weight at Whitehall I'm afraid - It's just a money saving exercise as far as they are concerned. We just have to keep our fingers crossed that they make the right decision.
Until the next time.
Mr J
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