Soldiers to stay on duty at Shrewsbury's Copthorne Barracks
Soldiers will continue to serve at Shrewsbury's Copthorne Barracks until at least 2016, Army chiefs confirmed today.
The town's Territorial Army unit, The E (Rifles) Company, is to remain at the base for another three years, according to bosses at the base on Copthorne Road.
The news has been welcomed by civic leaders, who are still reeling at the decision to move the town's regular Army presence to Telford.
The Headquarters 143 (West Midlands) Brigade, currently based at Copt-horne Barracks, will move to Donnington with Headquarters 11 Signal Brigade during 2015 under a Government shake-up of Army bases.
About 80 military and civilian jobs will be transferred to Telford under the move, which would also see part of Copthorne Barracks sold-off.
Shrewsbury's TA unit, currently serving with the Mercian regiment, will become part of the Rifles by December next year.
The E (Rifles) Company is currently a sub-unit of 4th Battalion The Mercians.
Army spokesman at Copthorne Barracks, Nick Pritchard, said: "E (Rifles) Company based at Copthorne Barracks will resubordinate to 6th Battalion The Rifles and remain on site.
"The Company's future will be reviewed in 2016," he added.
Shrewsbury and Atcham MP Daniel Kawczynski, who held talks with Defence Secretary Phillip Hammond over the future of the town's TA, said: "I went to the Secretary of State and lobbied very, very hard because we felt that having a TA presence was vital in Shrewsbury.
"I am delighted that our hard lobbying has borne fruit and we have kept the prestige of having a TA regiment in Shrewsbury," he added.
Shropshire councillor for Copthorne, Peter Nutting, said: "It's obviously good news but we need to keep pushing to retain a stronger Army presence in the town."
Mr Nutting said question marks remained over the future use of the barracks.
"There are still plans to sell the majority of the land and buildings at the barracks.
"The TA could operate from a smaller, modern building on the site."
He added that he would be talking to council planning officers to assess whether any of the barracks' historic buildings should be granted listed status.
