£4bn investment in UK's Armed Forces will see Catterick become a 'super garrison'

Catterick Garrison will become one of the UK's main military centres and be home for two new Strike Brigades.

However, the major review will see many smaller sites around the country, including four in North Yorkshire, being sold off to raise cash for defence.

It is billed as the biggest shake-up of the Armed Forces estate since World War Two.

Following the announcement by defence secretary Michael Fallon, minister of state for the Armed Forces Mike Penning visited 4th Infantry Brigade at Gaza Barracks in Catterick Garrison.

Mike Penning speaks to the media during a visit to Catterick. Picture: Jamie Peters

He said the changes would mean great investment in the garrison - with an influx of around 2,000 extra troops.

“Yorkshire and the North-East will gain hugely from this investment, with Catterick becoming home to two new Strike Brigades,” he said.

“The changes we are making will mean that our Armed Forces and their families across the region will be able to work in and benefit from the world class facilities they deserve.”

The investment will be partly funded by the selling off of old sites no longer required, including:

• Dishforth Barracks, near Thirsk

• Duchess of Kent Psychiatric Hospital at Harden Barracks, Catterick

• Imphal Barracks and Queen Elizabeth Barracks, York

• Towthorpe Lines, York

Mr Penning said the move will save around £140m of taxpayer money by the end of 2020, and will reduce the number of personnel being regularly moved between different bases, providing long-term stability.

The plan will see sites and bases moved away from very isolated locations to offer better opportunities for military families, and increasing employment prospects or family members, helping them settle into communities, buy their own homes and have their children benefit from more stable schooling.

Mr Penning said: “Catterick will be a super garrison, and while we will close some facilities here, but what the military asked me to do is focus on Catterick and we will know way into the future where the Armed Forces is going.

“We will make sure they have the best kit and training, and there will be a lot of building work in the Catterick area, be that house building or facilities for personnel.

“We have to make sure we have the right accommodation so old stock will go, and the project will continue right up until 2036 to 2040.”

Mr Penning said he was passionate about the Armed Forces, having joined the Army at 16, and said his current role was his dream job.

“This plan has to be right – we have to make sure our Armed Forces has the ability to be the best it can be to serve the UK.”

Defence Secretary, Michael Fallon, said: "We have been spending billions maintaining a defence estate that doesn't meet the needs of our Armed Forces.

"This plan delivers an estate fit for our forces and their families. By putting money where it is needed, we will provide better facilities to train our Armed Forces and deliver more stability for military families."

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon during a previous visit to Catterick

Former Shadow Defence Minister Kevan Jones, MP for North Durham, said: “Michael Fallon is very thin on detail about the justification for these closures both in military terms, but also more details should be produced on what it is going to cost regarding married estates and handing them back to a private company.

“It could potentially lead to a millions of pounds windfall the tax payer will have to pay out because of mistake by the Tory Government in 1990s in selling off married quarters.

“The thing that is also important is that with more people coming to Catterick that there is the necessary finance behind it for schools, hospitals and other health concerns.

“It is not just about the MoD, it is about other Government departments meeting their needs as well.

“It can be managed, but it is not cost neutral, you have got to provide more money for schools, education and also health and other services.”

Nationally, 91 sites owned or managed by the MoD are due to be sold and the money reinvested back into defence.

This involves more than 32,500 acres of excess defence land, including ten surplus airfields and five golf courses - allowing the MoD to achieve its target of 160,000 new homes by 2020.

Releasing defence sites in the region will allow the creation of 'capability clusters' - which includes the creation of two new strike brigades at Catterick centering on the new Ajax vehicle fleet.