Handover Forthside, Labour urgeMoD
Local Labour politicians are calling on the Ministry of Defence to hand over its doomed site at Forthside for the benefit of Stirling.
The recent UK Government announcement to withdraw MoD operations from the area marks another significant milestone in the changing face of the city’s military heritage as a barracks town.
A total of 90 military posts and 150 civilian jobs will be lost by 2022 when the facilities are re-located and the site closes for good.
Labour say the decision is not unexpected following the closure of the Stores Depot several years ago that now provides a key area of land giving access to the river and new development opportunities for the city.
The successful transfer of the MOD land at that time was facilitated at no cost by the then Labour Government through the office of Anne McGuire as Stirling’s MP and the Labour-led Stirling Council.
Labour’s finance and economy spokesman Councillor John Hendry said: “Once again, the Labour Party in Stirling calls on the UK government to leave a lasting legacy in Stirling to recognise the longstanding benefits that the Ministry of Defence operations provided to the local economy and the civic life of Stirling.
“I am calling on the Westminster Government to take the opportunity following its decision to cease operations at Forthside to offer the remaining site to the people of Stirling as a gift to contribute to the ongoing economic development of the area.
“This could be used to fill the gap left by the loss of employment and create further investment projects to enhance the current proposals in the City Deal bid for the area.”