Glencorse “An opportunity to plan for the future” say Greens

Tuesday November 8th 2016

Daya Feldwick Greens Midlothian West

Midlothian Green Party spokesperson Daya Feldwick

Midlothian Green Party says the Ministry of Defence announcement that Glencorse Barracks will be closed by 2032 is an opportunity to plan for the facilities to be used for the benefit of the whole community.

Midlothian Green Party spokesperson Daya Feldwick said

“Glencorse Barracks has been in decline for a number of years. The number of people employed there by the Army has been going steadily down, and many of the houses provided for MoD personnel are empty at a time when thousands of people are on the council housing waiting list.”

Daya, who is the Green Party’s candidate for the Glencorse area in next May’s council elections, called on Midlothian Council to start planning with the MoD now to ensure a smooth transition to civil use of the barracks and its associated housing and training areas.

“2032 sounds like a long way away” she said. “But while we welcome the transition to smaller military forces, we must prevent the MoD pursuing its favoured path of selling off the land to the highest bidder. The Council should be talking to the Army right now about transferring the MoD housing and barracks units to Council ownership for use as social housing, and about the opportunities to create small business units at the site to generate sustainable local employment.”

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