Military chiefs are drawing up plans to invest £50 million in an upgrade of the RM Condor base at Arbroath, we can reveal.
The revamp is expected to focus on improving the accommodation at the facility, which has been home to the 45 Commando unit since 1971.
The investment plans will be welcomed as a signal that the future of the Royal Marines base has finally been secured.
The threat of closure hung over the site during Ministry of Defence (MoD) basing reviews in 2004, 2009 and 2013.
Fresh concerns were then raised about RM Condor after the former airfield at the facility was controversially earmarked for 2,500 homes, but the plans were scrapped in 2019.
Documents seen by The Courier suggest a £50m investment is now being envisaged for the home of the commando group.
If given the go-ahead, the contract is expected to go out to tender in 2024, with work pencilled in to start in 2025 and last about two years.
It would be part of a £400m programme being finalised by the Royal Navy to invest in single living accommodation.
‘Suitable and appropriate’
An MoD spokeswoman said: “We are committed to ensuring our service personnel have suitable and appropriate single living accommodation.
“Defence continues to make significant and growing contribution to Scotland, with a programme of future investment across the UK currently being finalised and upgrades to RM Condor being considered as part of this plan.”
The base was opened in 1940 and became known as RM Condor after the arrival of the 45 Commando Royal Marines in 1971.
It is also home to 7 (Sphinx) Battery, part of 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery.
Leuchars upgrade
We previously revealed that a multimillion-pound upgrade was being planned for Leuchars Station to transform the Fife base into the new home of the Black Watch battalion.
The work will be funded using a £355m pot of cash that has been set aside to upgrade Army bases in Scotland.
Under a shake-up called “Future Soldier”, it was announced in November that the Black Watch would move by 2029 from Fort George, near Inverness, to Leuchars.
The plans followed years of campaigning to bring the battalion back to its traditional recruiting ground around Tayside and Fife.
Experts are currently believed to be assessing the site to draw up the refurbishment plans.
Kinloss Barracks in Moray is also in line for a £25million upgrade after being saved from closure last year.
From Belfast to Kabul: 50 years of the Royal Marines at RM Condor in Arbroath
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