Uncertainty over future of RAF Leuchars

Concerns have been raised over the future of RAF Leuchars after suggestions from a senior government minister that plans to move army units to the site following its closure as an air base, which had been thought to be decided, were still under consideration.

Sir Menzies Campbell, MP for East Fife and Chancellor of the University of St Andrews, is urgently seeking clarification as to whether this is the case and states that “it appears that the future of the military base at Leuchars is once again up for discussion”.

The plans to move army units to Leuchars in 2014 were announced by previous Defence Secretary Liam Fox.

However, Fox’s successor, Phillip Hammond, appears to be taking a second look at the decision due to financial constraints. Should the army units not move to Leuchars, the site could face closure, something that would be extremely damaging to the local economy.

The speculation had caused anxiety in Fife. “My constituents are extremely anxious there should be no gap between any departure by the RAF and the arrival of the army,” said Sir Menzies. “If the army are not to come then the RAF should not leave.”

Fraser Philips, the Chairman of the Resident’s Action Force Leuchars, expressed his concerns, “If the army is coming to Leuchars, the Ministry of Defence should be able to provide the people of Fife with some sort of assurances it recently gave the community of Kinloss”.

The news comes after it has been revealed that the cost of transferring planes, personnel and equipment from Leuchars to the new air base at Lossiemouth will cost over £40 million, while figures reveal that basing Typhoon jets at the new base will cost £3.4 million more per squadron per year than it did at Leuchars.

Campaigners argue that significant increase in cost that should be ought to force the UK government into halting the transformation of the Leuchars base.

However, Phillip Hammond has announced he has no intention of rethinking the move, saying “I do not intend to reconsider the outcome of the basing review”.

Moving the fast jets may cost over £40 million.