Gosport Borough Council to lobby government over defence site review

Gosport's HMS Sultan (pictured) and Fort Blockhouse are among 91 MoD sites set to close

The government will be lobbied by a Hampshire council over its plans to sell off an additional 56 defence sites by 2040.

Gosport's HMS Sultan and Fort Blockhouse are among 91 Ministry of Defence sites now set to close - 35 were previously earmarked.

The town's borough council said the loss of more than 1,000 sailors from the area would affect the economy.

Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon announced the closures on Monday.

Defence secretary Sir Michael Fallon said new sites would be chosen because of "employment opportunities in the community"

He the closures would deliver better value for money and release enough land across the UK to build 55,000 homes.

It is also estimated that about £140m will be saved over the next decade by selling off the sites, which Sir Michael said would be reinvested in creating "areas of military expertise" in locations across the country, including a specialised infantry group in Aldershot.

Leader of Gosport Borough Council, Mark Hook, said: "We are relieved the majority of jobs will remain in the area, but we'll lose the economic benefits of having more than 1,000 sailors based in the town."

He admitted the authority could not stop the sale of the land, but said it would work to get the "best possible outcomes" for the town.

He said it would be "seeking assurances" from the MoD that the sites could be redeveloped for business use.

"We need to reduce the impact on the area by using these sites to create business spaces that will bring with them opportunities and jobs to benefit local people," he said.

Unions have described the plans - which are part of a review of Ministry of Defence land - as "brutal" and have also promised to fight the closures.