Defence jobs hope

TWO Borderlands MPs are working together to promote the ‘strong case’ for Eastriggs and Longtown to be selected as locations for high priority new defence factories.

Hundreds of skilled jobs could be created locally if one, or both, Ministry of Defence (MoD) sites were chosen as home to state-of-the-art munitions and energetics factories planned by the UK Government.

Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale Conservative MP David Mundell and Carlisle and North Cumbria Labour MP Julie Minns have written a joint-letter emphasising the suitability of the sites to Luke Pollard, Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry.

It follows the MoD announcement late last year that they had short-listed Dumfriesshire and Cumbria amongst 13 locations identified as being suitable for such a development.

Locations under consideration are understood to include the sprawling sister MoD complexes situated seven miles from each other on opposite sides of the Scotland – England border.

In their letter to the Minister, the local MPs highlighted the ‘strong case’ for both sites, pointing out there was already a significant MoD presence at the Defence Munitions Longtown facility, which employs

staff from both sides of the border.

The 1300 acre Cumbrian depot, the letter to the Minister states, is a critical part of the UK’s military storage and logistics

chain, particularly in respect of munitions.

The MPs point out that the overall capacity at Longtown increased last year through the opening of a £98 million, 818,000 square feet, storage building and adjoining offices.

They describe both Longtown and Eastriggs sites as having excellent transportation links, close road and mainline rail connections and proximity to Carlisle Lake District Airport, which has potential to develop freight traffic services.

The politicians explained a small part of the currently largely moth-balled MoD-owned Eastriggs site was already operated as a railway storage and maintenance hub by Rail Sidings Ltd. and there was scope to develop freight hub operations.

Also highlighted was the area’s long record in supporting the UK and Allied armed forces, with both current sites once part of the massive World War One HM Factory, stretching east from Dornock to Longtown, believed at the time to be one of the largest in the world.

Mr Mundell and Ms Minns continued: “Collectively, Eastriggs and Longtown have the potential to form an ammunition manufacturing, storage and logistics hub which would contribute greatly to this Government’s aim of boosting the UK’s war-fighting readiness.”

They pointed out that with the existing MoD presence, some of the infrastructure and know-how was already in place.

The MPs concluded: “There is also a strong argument for targeting the economic investment needed to deliver these factories in our areas, which need highly skilled and well paid jobs.

“We have a tradition of military service in both Carlisle and North Cumbria and Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale constituencies and defence jobs could contribute greatly to local residents’ pride in their communities, through the opportunity to contribute further to the defence of the UK.”

Both MPs hope to have a meeting with the Minister in the near future.