‘Review’ of plan to close city barracks

CONTROVERSIAL plans to close Edinburgh’s Dreghorn and Redford barracks are said to be under review.

The then Defence Secretary Liam Fox announced the surprise closures in July as part of the Strategic Defence Review. He also said the headquarters site at Craigiehall would shut and a new super-barracks would be built at Kirknewton.

But now remarks by Major General David Shaw, the army’s commanding officer in Scotland, at a High Constables’ dinner in the Capital have prompted speculation that some parts of the proposals may not go ahead.

It is said there could be a reprieve for Dreghorn and Redford and the plan for Kirknewton could be scrapped.

But a Ministry of Defence spokesman said: “The Kirknewton project is currently going ahead as planned. No changes have been made.”

Edinburgh West Liberal Democrat MP Mike Crockart is campaigning to save Craigiehall.