Criticism has been fired at the Ministry of Defence over the time it may take before details of Leuchars’ future as an army base are known.
Armed forces minister Nick Harvey has told North-East Fife’s MSP that plans for relocating army units in Scotland are expected to be announced by the end of the year.
Roderick Campbell fears it will be next year before there is any clarity and has demanded details of the army’s shift to Fife be made public as a matter of urgency.
The Leuchars base has been earmarked by the MoD to become the home of a multi-role brigade after the RAF departs in three years.
When it was confirmed last year that the air force was to withdraw from Fife, it was announced that thousands of troops returning to the UK from Germany would move into the station.
As radical restructuring of the army is undertaken, however, concerns have been expressed that the military base will be abandoned altogether
In a letter to the SNP’s Mr Campbell, Mr Harvey confirmed it was still intended to locate a multi-role infantry brigade north of the border but he said it was too early to confirm which units would go where.
Mr Campbell said: ”That is disappointing, as a far greater degree of detail on the timing and practicalities of the army move to Leuchars must be made available to the community as a matter of urgency.
”I am also concerned that the timescale for decision-making could slide, potentially leaving us without the information required until well into 2013.
”Last summer, the Liberal-Conservative coalition revealed their intention to see RAF Leuchars transformed into a major army base.
”These plans were woefully short on detail at that time and now, one year down the line, we are no further forward.
”It is high time that the basing review was completed and I will be doing all that I can to press the MoD to stick to their new timetable.
”The people of the area require a firm foundation on which to plan for the future.
”It is extremely difficult for the community, and associated agencies, to make plans for the future of the local economy in the absence of a significant degree of detail as to the timing of the army’s arrival and the scale of their presence.”
Mr Harvey’s letter to Mr Campbell said: ”I am aware of and fully understand the keen appetite of the community in Scotland, particularly in Leuchars, to know what the future holds and I am clear that the Ministry of Defence should share this information with local communities as soon as possible.
”Detailed planning work is now being undertaken by the army and defence infrastructure organisation to determine the future basing of army units in Scotland as part of the overall basing strategy.
”It is expected plans will be announced by the end of the year but until this work completes, I am afraid it is too early to confirm which units will be located at any given location.”
Despite the relocation of Typhoons from Leuchars to RAF Lossiemouth from next year, with the complete withdrawal by 2015, a second Typhoon squadron is to be based at the Fife station from next month.