THE future of Sir John Moore Barracks, home to the Army Training Regiment, near Winchester, is unclear after the Ministry of Defence admitted it is carrying out a review of its estate, the Daily Echo can reveal.

A source told how an announcement that the barracks will be sold is set to be made next month.

He said top-level talks have taken place between the MoD and Winchester City Council, and the intentions of the ministry are to sell the land near Littleton.

However, the leader of Winchester City Council, Stephen Godfrey, denied these talks had taken place and the MoD say they have it has “no plans” to sell the site.

The source, who asked not to be named, said: “It is a significant reduction of the connection of Winchester with the military, but as they have been winding it down anyway the impact might not be that great. But the site itself could be a great opportunity for Winchester to prosper. It is sad for the army to go but not sad for Winchester.”

An MoD spokesperson said: “We currently have no plans to dispose of Sir John Moore Barracks in Winchester; however, the MoD is conducting a review of its estate which will be announced later this year.

“This work is ongoing and no decisions about the future of individual sites, other than those that have already been announced, have been made at this point.”

Cllr Godfrey admitted there had been “rumours” swirling around about the future of the barracks, but said to his understanding no discussions between the MoD and the council had taken place.

Daily Echo: Winchester City Council leader, Cllr Stephen Godfrey

He said: “Nothing official has been announced but we have always heard rumours but there has been nothing this week. No-one has come to us this week and said anything.”

He has urged the MoD to ensure that the land is not sold for housing, adding: “We will want to make sure that the MoD aware of our views on the subject.

“If the MoD does not need those barracks for military use then that’s a significant loss of employment to the local area therefore we want to make sure that the site is retained for employment because there are jobs there and that is our focus we want local people to have jobs locally.

“What I would worry about is if the MoD is being pressured to get rid of land to sell it for housing.”

“I would like to get across to the MoD that while we accept that a decision to close the barracks is up to the MoD, if there is any suggestion that the MoD is seeking to get a significant return by building houses on it then we are going to make sure that they know that Winchester City Council as the local planning authority will ferociously defend our local plan that does not require any houses on that site and the local plan does not permit development in that area accept for employment and we do not have need for anymore housing to be allocated for the next 15 years."

In January the Army Training Regiment Winchester was rated outstanding in all areas for its development of new fighters and instructors.

Every year about 1,000 recruits are put through 14 weeks of physical, mental and emotional training.

The course instils the basic qualities of a soldier: fieldcraft, armed skills, fitness and how to apply military values.

The barracks opened in 1986 replacing Peninsula (CORR) Barracks in the city centre.