Press release

Army Basing Plan to provide “much needed investment of £100 million” for Wales

Wales Office Minister Stephen Crabb has today responded to the Ministry of Defence’s Basing Plan that will see £100 million investment in Wales.

• From: Office of the Secretary of State for Wales and The Rt Hon Stephen Crabb
• Published: 5 March 2013
• Last updated: 10 April 2013 — See all updates

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Wales Office Minister Stephen Crabb has today responded to the Ministry of Defence’s Basing Plan that will see £100 million investment in Wales as 14th Signal Regiment (EW) unit relocate to St Athan.

Details of the investment in new bases and accommodation were set out in the basing plan which clarifies for the first time the Army’s future permanent UK locations. The government is investing £1.8 billion in the new basing plan across the UK with £100 million being spent in Wales.

The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that Cawdor Barracks in Brawdy, Pembrokeshire close, with 14 Signal (EW) Regiment relocating to St Athan not before 2018.

Wales Office Minister with responsibility for defence, Stephen Crabb said:

The Army Basing Plan announcement today by the Defence Secretary sets out clearly the Army’s future and its permanent UK locations.

Whilst it is disappointing that we will see Cawdor Barracks in Brawdy, Pembrokeshire close, these changes are essential for our future Armed Forces. I am pleased that the defence footprint is largely being maintained and that 14th Signal Regiment will be relocating within Wales to St Athan.

It is also expected that Wales specifically will receive much-needed infrastructure investment of approximately £100 million to support the rebasing.

Notes for editors

• The new basing plan, coupled with the reduction in the size of the Army, will mean seven sites across the country are no longer required by the Regular Army will be made available for disposal: Claro Barracks in Ripon, North Yorkshire; Howe Barracks in Canterbury; Craigiehall Barracks in Edinburgh and Cawdor Barracks in Brawdy, Pembrokeshire; plus elements of Redford Barracks in Edinburgh, Forthside Barracks in Stirling and Copthorne Barracks in Shrewsbury.
• The Army will be brought back from Germany by 2020 - a move expected to eventually save £240 million a year - and will be based across the UK with major concentrations around Salisbury Plain, Edinburgh and Leuchars in Scotland, Catterick in North Yorkshire, Aldershot, Colchester, Stafford and the East Midlands.

Published 5 March 2013
Last updated 10 April 2013 + show all updates

1. 10 April 2013

   Added translation

2. 5 March 2013

   First published.