BY RONAN McSHERRY
Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie's call for the handover of former military bases free of charge to the new administration was brushyed aside this week in the Ministry of Defence (MOD) decision to sell off former army bases at Aughnacloy and Clogher.
During her visit to Omagh last week, Ms Ritchie said she would ask her Executive colleagues to support the transfer for public use of former army of land, including the 155 acres at Lisanelly and St Lucia Barracks in Omagh.
The sites at Aughnacloy and Clogher have now been placed on the market and will be auctioned off next week as part of an ongoing sale of MOD property across the North.
South Tyrone SDLP Cllr Anthony McGonnell said, "The news of the sale of the bases at Aughnacloy and Clogher does not bode well for other lands used by the army. I think this is very ominous for the Omagh bases when you see what has happened already across Tyrone. Three stations have been sold off at exorbitant prices to the highest bidder. The Killymeal army base in Dungannon was sold for something like £15million. The MOD is selling these sites and obviously looking for as much money as possible.
"The land in Dungannon was taken over originally for a nominal fee. As well the ground at Aughnacloy was certainly land the army took over and the Clogher ground was originally part of an estate called the Deanary which was privately owned ground. The MOD would have been in those locations since the early 1970s."
Speaking to the UH last week, Minister Ritchie said, "Looking to the future and the large redundant sites at Lisanelly and St Lucia, I recognise the obvious potential they have to support the further transformation and regeneration of the town. I have to say however that the cost of securing and regenerating these large sites will be a major constraint.
"It is unfortunate that this site and others like it across Northern Ireland did not — as many including myself expected — to form part of the peace dividend for the people of Northern Ireland.
"Our work would be helped here if we did not have to buy the sites at open market value, which has soared in recent years. When last we had devolution, military sites were transferred to the Executive for free under the Reinvestment and Reform Initiative.
"I believe that the same should be happening again now and am pursuing this with my ministerial colleagues. Because with the sites transferred for free there would be even more that we could do to regenerate them for the benefit of everybody in the community."
"Officials from my department are working with a range of key stakeholders across government and here in Omagh to urgently assess what should be done for the best with these sites before the Ministry of Defence simply sell them off to the highest bidder."
During her tour of the sites Ms Ritchie was able to gauge, at first hand, their regeneration potential of the sites and the possible impact which the re-development could make on Omagh.
"I was hugely impressed by the obvious potential of the military sites in Omagh," said Ms Ritchie.
"There are challenges for the future in retaining our young people, ensuring there is a critical hub, a regional positioning as Omagh is a regional centre.
"I know the people of Omagh will be able to do that, because you have the foresight, initiative, strength, vision and fortitude from past events to carry you forward."
