HC Deb 26 July 1988 vol 138 c225W
Miss Widdecombe

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to announce disposal plans for the redundant listed buildings recently visited by the advisory committee on listed military buildings.

Mr. Freeman

The Historic Military Buildings Committee most recently visited three sites in Gosport in May. The disposal of RNAD Priddy's Hard is being planned for mid-1989 and we hope to announce further details later this year. The future of Fort Rowner is currently being discussed with the local authorities concerned. St. George's barracks will be released in due course for sale when new accommodation for the present occupants has been completed.

The committee has also visited Woolwich. The future of the majority of historic buildings on the Woolwich Arsenal west site is inextricably linked with the future location of the Directorate General of Defence Quality Assurance. It is now clear, however, that the riverside area will not be required, and although the precise boundaries have still to be defined it will be possible to release for other purposes a substantial area of land including the Grand Store, New Laboratory Square, Riverside Guardroom and Mallets Mortar. Once the boundaries have been determined we will seek discussions with the planning authorities at an early date.