The army’s arrival at Leuchars should be hastened to halt the “damage” being done to shops and businesses as a result of a transfer of RAF personnel to Lossiemouth.
North East Fife Liberal Democrat MP Sir Menzies Campbell MP has urged the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to speed up the process in a letter to Defence Secretary Michael Fallon.
Sir Menzies said: “One of the justifications given by the MoD when it announced its decision to transfer the Typhoons from Leuchars to Lossiemouth was that the north east was so reliant upon the RAF base that its closure would cause problems to the local economy.
“The Government reassured the Fife community that it would not suffer the same fate when the RAF left because the arrival of the army would more than fill that gap.
“The RAF drawdown is almost complete and we are yet to see the army in any great numbers.
“I am being told by local traders and businesses that this is having a significantly detrimental effect upon their livelihoods.”
Taybridgehead Fife councillor Tim Brett said: “A number of local businesses have contacted me about this issue.
“I have asked the council’s economic development staff to contact them and have requested an urgent report on this to come to the next meeting of the Fife Defence Liaison Group, which will be meeting on December 18.”
Leuchars Community Council chairman Carroll Finnie said: “Back in 2011 Angus Robertson MP said “any delay could cause prolonged economic uncertainty”.
“This now appears to be coming to fruition.
“In July 2011 Leuchars Task Force stated that a ‘fallow’ period during the handover could have devastating consequences for local businesses.
“At that time I urged Liam Fox to soften the blow by making sure the base was transferred to the army without delay.
“If businesses in Leuchars have suffered due to the drawdown of the RAF, and the army coming in, the MoD should be reimbursing said businesses before they have to shut up shop and leave the village as a ghost town.”
There are now only a couple of hundred RAF personnel left at Leuchars. Elements of the three army units to be located at Leuchars, and their families, have already started to arrive at the base.
But the major moves will not take place until July 2015 when around 780 personnel arrive from Germany.