Rutland County Council has announced today (Mon) that it will not be developing the Officers' Mess site in advance of the redevelopment of St George's Barracks.

The council's cabinet agreed in March 2018 to explore the potential of acquiring the four hectare Officers' Mess site from the Ministry of Defence (MoD), to build approximately 70 homes as an exemplar for the remainder of the St George's site.

Since that decision, the council has undertaken feasibility assessments to understand the potential risks and opportunities of redeveloping the site using public money.

The outcome of the assessments - along with the MoD's delayed vacation of the site until 2022 - has informed the decision which has resulted in the council's decision not to pursue the redevelopment at this time.

Councillor Oliver Hemsley, Leader of Rutland County Council, comments: "Rutland County Council has a duty of care to protect public money and it was only right that we investigated the potential opportunities provided by the site.

"Our initial plan was to bring about the site in advance of the wider redevelopment of St George's Barracks as an exemplar for the wider development, but it will not be vacated as initially planned.

"Having reviewed the options, the risk of investing public money into such a development is too great – it makes more sense for it to be redeveloped by a private developer as part of the wider St George's Barracks project, under the Ministry of Defence."

Catherine Davies, Head of Estates for the MoD's Defence Infrastructure organisation, adds: "Rutland County Council have undertaken due process with the site and they are acting in the best interest of the county's residents, which we support wholly.

"The Officers' Mess site will now be included as part of the proposals for the wider redevelopment of St George's Barracks, which would be undertaken by a private development partner."

Three sub-groups will now be established to inform and guide the future redevelopment of the barracks site.

Members of the St George's Parish Council Advisory Group, made up of parish council representatives from wards affected by the potential redevelopment of the site have been offered the opportunity by Rutland County Council and the MoD to join these groups.

The three groups will each look at:

· The design of the site, including developing a design code for the St George's project which will also support a county-wide Design Code

· The creation of employment within the site, including reviewing work done to date in relation to the Business and Employment Zones and looking at funding opportunities

· Off-site highways and transportation infrastructure and design, including reviewing work done to date and undertaking a local survey on current transport routes

Councillor Hemsley and Councillor Gordon Brown, Deputy Leader of Rutland County Council, will chair the groups.

A ward member will be invited to represent all affected wards, three representatives from the Parish Council Advisory Group have been invited to join the groups, and strategic advice will be provided by key officers from Rutland County Council and invited consultant advisors.

The feedback and findings of these groups will then be provided to the MoD to inform the development of a more detailed Evolving Masterplan for St George's Barracks.

Councillor Hemsley said: "Our Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Defence was implemented to ensure the residents of Rutland inform the future vision for the St George's Barracks site.

"To date, this has helped shape the current version of the Evolving Masterplan, which has been developed with the feedback of local people.

"Now, we are at the point where we are starting to consider the detailed elements of the site and it is important that our residents' and interested parties views continue to inform the future direction of this important site."

Once representatives from the parish councils have been identified, it is anticipated that the groups will start to meet in the autumn.

St George's Barracks is due to close in 2022, which has led to an Evolving Masterplan being developed by the MoD for a new Garden Community that would include up to 2,215 new homes, space for new businesses, a new primary school, healthcare facilities and a country park.

For further information, and to read the terms of reference for the sub-groups, click on the red button below.