Two barracks at Telford to be sold off by Government

Parsons Barracks and Venning Barracks in Donnington have been named among 13 sites that the Ministry of Defence plans to sell to make way for 17,000 homes across the UK - but it says the Telford site has been earmarked for commercial purposes.

The Government has said the sell off will raise about £225 million which will go back into funding the armed forces.

It is all part of a bid by the MOD to increase the efficiency of the defence department's estate, and as a contribution to the Government's target of releasing enough public sector land for 160,000 homes by 2020.

The announcement is the third tranche of sites to be released and in total means the MOD has released enough brownfield and surplus public sector land for up to 39,000 new homes, expected to generate a total of £930 million.

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said: "We are getting rid of land that we don't need to build homes that we do, generating hundreds of millions of pounds in the process.

"Our commitment to protect and increase the budget for our armed forces means that every penny of that will be reinvested into defence, helping to keep Britain safe."

An MOD spokesman said: "Telford & Wrekin Council has made it clear that land at Parsons Barracks and Venning Barracks should be used for commercial use and not houses.

"The specific use is a matter for future owners."

The MOD has said that it is not yet known how this will affect UK staff but says "the majority" will be provided for and moved to accommodation elsewhere

Other sites included are RAF Henlow in Bedfordshire, Middlewick Ranges in Essex, Amport House in Andover, Land at Harley Hill in Catterick, Chalgrove Airfield in Oxford which has been transferred to the Homes and Communities Agency, Colerne Airfield and Azimghur Barracks in Chippenham Prince William of Gloucester Barracks in Grantham, Old Dalby in Melton Mowbray, Southwick Park in Fareham and the Royal Marines Stonehouse in Plymouth.

The MOD says the new release is part of a strategy to reduce the size of its estate, which currently covers over half a million hectares

It expects to make further announcements as part of the strategy later in 2016.

In March of this year it was announced that Clive Barracks in Tern Hill, currently home to the 1st Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment, is expected to be sold by 2020 - clearing the way for up to 600 new homes.

Russell Griffin, a spokesman for Telford & Wrekin Council, said: "We will work closely with the MoD to help them realise appropriate development on these sites and our planning committee will judge each application we receive on its merits.

"In the meantime, the Defence Fulfilment Centre continues to be built as planned and should be finished before the end of the year."