The MoD has just announced another piece of the family silver is to be sold off. The oldest barracks in England, RM Stonehouse, ‘spiritual home to Royal Marines’ since 1756 is to be put up for sale.
Around 750 people are based at the barracks which is home to the headquarters of 3 Commando Brigade and other units including 30 Commando IX Group and Commander United Kingdom Task Group (COMUKTG). The site is old, grand and holds historic value and artefacts. Maintaining the site is more costly than a purpose-built modern alternative but it is perfectly fit for purpose and its imposing facade is keeping with the Royal Marines more than 350 years of outstanding service to the nation.
The MoD is in the midst of its Orwellian sounding “Estate Optimisation Strategy Programme” which of course is just another round of closures, from which the Treasury hopes to make £1Bn from land sales. It has the laudable aim to reduce waste in the defence estate where there is over-capacity or inefficient use of facilities. There is a temptation to have a knee-jerk response against any reductions, but in many cases the plans are sensible and either the sites are entirely surplus, or the work can be done elsewhere.
Stonehouse’s demise has been rumoured since before the SDSR but as the marines emerged unscathed in October 2015 this possibility was overlooked for a time. Just one of 13 sites on the newly released list of closures it is clearly the odd one out. The other sites all belong to the Army or RAF, both of which have suffered significant cuts and continue to reduce in strength. One of the many good decisions of the 2015 SDSR was not to cut the strength of the Royal Marines. 3 Commando Brigade headquartered at Stonehouse and arguably Britain’s single most potent fighting formation is to remain in tact.
Government has quite reasonably justified yet further reduction in the defence estate as an opportunity to release brown-field sites for badly needed new housing. Plymouth estate agents are already salivating at the prospect of another luxury housing development close to the waterfront. Only time will tell if the redevelopment of Stonehouse benefits the whole city or just an affluent minority.
Although local MPs may not see it that way, it is ultimately not the responsibility of the MoD to prop up the Plymouth economy or subsidise preservation of historic buildings. However there is a bigger picture to consider. The building and surroundings that a military unit inhabits impacts its ethos, imparting a sense of history, pride and self confidence. It would be quite possible to dump the Royal Marines in cheap bog-standard modern buildings on some industrial estate but something significant would be lost. There is also the need for resilience and spare capacity. Stonehouse may have some excess space but that is exactly what might be needed in time of war when extra accommodation is required for people and equipment in transit, to house expanding units or recalled reserves.
The creeping peacetime-only mentality that is entirely driven by accountancy undermines the credibility of our whole defence. The bare-minimum, most financially efficient facilities will be totally inadequate in emergencies.
As a city distanced from the UK’s main economic powerhouses, Plymouth has relied heavily on the income from hosting naval forces over the centuries. But it is a two-way relationship, the people of Plymouth have supported the navy and marines in peacetime and shared their hardships in wartime. This is another blow to the city and the MoD should consider the impact that closures have on local communities that are deeply entwined with the military on their doorstep. The size of the defence estate across Britain has been in decline for the last 40 years but nowhere is this more noticeable than in Plymouth. In the square mile around RM Stonehouse, the Royal William Yard closed 1992, the Naval Hospital RNH Stonehouse closed 1995, Mount Wise Naval HQ closed 2004 and large chunks of Devonport South Yard have been sold off and are being redeveloped. (Not far away the gunners of 29 Cdo have managed to keep their their base in the Hoe Citadel but, it too has been under threat of closure). Shutting these facilities makes some sense (only if we accept that a much reduced navy makes sense) and these prime sites have been attractively redeveloped. However the end of Stonehouse is one closure too many and cannot be properly justified when the Royal Marines corps strength and structure is unchanged.
It is not immediately obvious where the 750 Marines and supporting staff will be relocated. There has been some recent investment in a the new base at RM Tamar at the north end of Devonport Naval Base, now home to the 300 personnel and boats of 1 Assault Group. Whether there is space to expand RM Tamar as a new HQ seems unlikely although there is probably enough vacant space for a new facility elsewhere within the naval base which is now somewhat under utilised. Other local sites that have the potential for a new HQ would be HMS Raleigh, RM Bickleigh or the Hoe Citadel, either way if HQ 3 Cdo Brigade is to remain in the Plymouth area then it will probably require investment in new buildings to house them. Alternatively they could be relocated away from Plymouth to RM Chivenor (North Devon), RM Lympstone (South Devon), or even a defunct Army barracks in another part of the country.
Main image: Medals Parade, RM Stonehouse, 2009 Rob Gillies via Flickr
Related articles
- MOD to sell Stonehouse Barracks – the home of the Royal Marines (Plymouth Herald)
- Defence Secretary Michael Fallon defends closure of Stonehouse Barracks (ITV.com)
- Save Stonehouse Barracks (Facebook Page)
- Petition – RM Stonehouse to be kept open (UK Govt & Parliament Petitions)
- Happy 350th birthday Royal Marines, but mind the gap (Save the Royal Navy, 2014)
I too looked down the list of what did appear to be land no longer needed until I got to Stonehouse Barracks which clearly still is! This is a very silly and unnecessary closure but sadly typical of the managed decline attitude of British Governments past and present. I have an old copy of the boys book of the navy. In the section on the Royal Marines there is a story of a Marine who when told, while fighting in Korea I believe, to make his own way home if seperated from his unit. Some months later although presumed missing in action he found his way back to the UK and when asked where he regarded as home his response was “Stonehouse Barracks, Plymouth Sir!”
My recollection of the story may not be entirely accurate but you get the gist. It is that kind of intangible asset that Stonehouse represents, the sort of thing money can’t buy and when it comes to the crunch is what saves us.
I know the use symbols is questionable but we do need them. Which is the reason these barracks should be kept operational. They are a symbol of our stability and values. I know people laugh at them but these same people know where to come when there’s trouble; us.
The problem is the mentality behind this closure.
One wonders if the people in charge at the MOD were well disposed (ho ho) or not.
Shutting an organisation from its historic roots is a dangerous game. This is especially true in Britain.
This is true too in the civilian world where the UK yacht building industry has lost ALMOST ALL ITS HISTORIC BOATYARDS TO BLOCKS OF FLATS. Result has been the decimation of boat building in the UK.
How long before Portsmouth is sold off for flats. They have already done it in other places.
There is as you say, a real ‘we’ll never have another major war’ syndrome in the MOD.
With Putin in charge of Russia I would say you had better watch out.
So sad ,sorry I don’t think we should sit down on this. So much history here, including my family, my nan, great nan worked in the barracks, a number of marines and naval personnel also served from our family, I am 71 years of age so you can tell how long ago my great nan served the Royal Marines. They have taken enough of our service men away from Plymouth , so we must fight to keep the Royal Marines here. The barracks would probably be turned into flats that the ordinary people in Plymouth would not be able to afford(like the William Yard). If it came to it maybe the accommodation could be turned into homes for families of injured service men and women. I just hope with all my heart we don’t lose out on so much history, and the brave men and women that fought from stonehouse barracks over many many years.
Sad to see as with many other of the sites mentioned, however the RAF will increase slightly under SDSR, not reduce.
This is disgraceful. It is an out and out act of vandalism by a bunch of Politian’s most of who have never served in any of the armed forces. They need to learn a lesson in the history of our country and the special relationship that our armed forces have with towns like Plymouth. The Royal Marines Depot at Deal in Kent was sold off and is now luxury apartments for the rich who probably know very little of the history of that site.
As ever driven by accountants who know the price but not the value.
I may be wrong here but I think the MOD is working to the 10 year rule like they did in the 1930’s
Never trust people in suits…..
Can’t believe what there doing to our armed forces. And still expect them to be 1st class soldiers.
But okay to spend £4 billion to renevate on the houses of parliament, something so wrong here.
I was christened in the Barrecks my father was RSM I became a RM cadet and joined the corps and serve in Stonehouse with 45CDO. We must also remember the long room area the Camber and the area that stretches around eastern kings area of Devil point, is the whole lot being sold off,this a massive area of natural beauty and listed buildings .Dave.
I am a Vet but not an Ex Marine and have not read the full article but I think a petition via 38 degrees or other online petition is needed.. Best of luck guys
This sale must not go ahead Stonehous barracks is a big part of Plymouths history WE DO NOT WANT ANOTHER ROYAL WILLIAM YARD PRIVATE COCK UP!!
They also sold Chelsea Bks. The spiritual home
of all the Guards Regiments. They have no morals when it comes to making money.
The MOD expect our military to be loyal and then they dispose of our heritage. Shame on them.
Politicians cut the defences, and the same idiots start the wars which they expect to win.Thank you kind sirs.I am a veteran of WW2,RN,Plymouth.
What a shame about stonhouse, I had the privilege of a tour a few months ago, as my father was based there in the 1950s. Its a real shame a redevelopment is going to replace history. But who is going to benefit from it .. not the working class of Plymouth who need affordable homes to buy, but over see investors who want a nice flat to spend a few weekends by the see . It will be just like London, blocks of high rise glass fronted flats starting at 350.000 each. I doubt very much the average mr and mrs smith of Plymouth can afford one…
How would the average politician like it if their Oxbridge college were forced to sell its valuable city centre site and move to a bog standard modern building on the Science Park?