Dean Hill Munitions Depot

The Future of West Dean

A message from Robert Key MP - 8th July 2002

The Ministry of Defence has announced its intention to close the Dean Hill Munitions Depot, which was established in 1939, at the start of World War II. The extensive network of tunnels in the chalk has provided a secure and successful storage facility for high-explosive munitions from bombs to depth-charges. It has also been the economic and social heart of an isolated village community, home to several generations of loyal employees.

I have now talked to local residents as well as MoD management and unions.I have read a lot of documentation and probed the decision to close Dean Hill by means of written Parliamentary Questions. With our earlier experience of living through the closure of RAF Chilmark some years ago, I have sought to probe the financial basis on which the decision will be ratified at the conclusion of the consultation period in August 2002. I have also challenged the Government to say if they modified the terms of reference of the study following the US terrorist attacks of 11th September 2001.Did they consider any strategic considerations in reaching their decision?

I must be honest and conclude that it is very unlikely we will be able to reverse the decision, now that the Labour Government has given it 'provisional ministerial approval'. However, a lot of people have expressed strong views in person and by letter. The Public Meeting held by the Parish Council will also have yielded important opinions. All of this I will represent to the Minister for the Armed Forces (The Rt.Hon. Adam Ingram, M.P., Labour, East Kilbride), in response to his letter to me of 19 June 2002. A copy of that letter appears below, together with my Parliamentary Questions and the answers I have received.

Looking to the future, you can also read my letter of 2 July 2002 to Cllr.Ted Draper, Portfolio Holder with responsibility for Planning and Economic Development on Salisbury District Council.

As further relevant information emerges, I will post it on this website.

D/MIN(AF)/AI/2/2219 June 2002

Defence Munitions (DM), a Business Unit within the Defence Logistics Organisation, is responsible for the Tri-Service munitions storage and processing task that ensures that munitions are maintained in a serviceable condition for issue to our Armed Forces. It carries out these tasks at a number of sites within the United Kingdom, including the site at Dean Hill on the outskirts of West Dean village in south Wiltshire.

DM has recently completed the second phase of a Rationalisation Study which has confirmed that there is an excess of both explosives storage and maintenance capacity within DM's estate. After consideration of the recommendations, I have decided that the DM Depot at Dean Hill could be closed without detriment to DM's outputs to the Armed Forces. The tasks carried out at Dean Hill would be moved to other DM Depots in the UK where work of a similar nature is carried out and it is anticipated that closure could be achieved by 1 April 2004. This would involve the loss of the 67 civilian staff and 22 Ministry of Defence Police posts at Dean Hill.
Whilst every effort would be made to find alternative employment with the MOD for the staff involved, unfortunately compulsory redundancies cannot be ruled out. The services of the MOD outplacement scheme, which helps those made redundant to identify new opportunities, will be available to affected staff. It is anticipated that the 22 MDP would be reassigned to new posts within the MDP .

When the Dean Hill was originally constructed, a number of houses were also built near to the Depot for rent by civilian employees. It is intended that, once satisfactory consultation with the Trades Unions is complete, these houses will be released for purchase at some time within the implementation period. Occupied houses would be offered to qualifying tenants to purchase at a discount, calculated in accordance with the terms of the Housing Act 1985. Vacant houses would be offered for sale on the open market. The utilities that currently come direct from the Depot itself will be re- routed to allow for supply independent from the Depot before offering the houses for sale, probably towards the end of this year.

I understand that the proposed closure of DM Dean Hill will be a disappointment to you. However, I trust that you will understand that it is important that DM operates as efficiently and cost effectively as possible for the benefit of UK taxpayers. Please rest assured that the personnel issues that will undoubtedly arise will be dealt with in a sympathetic manner .

National and local Trade Union Officials are also being informed of our proposals today and I will write to you again once the period of consultation has concluded.

The Rt Hon Adam Ingram JP MP