RAF Scampton: MoD confirms marketing site for sale date

RAF Scampton has been home to the Red Arrows since 2000

The current home of the Red Arrows display team will be up for sale by the end of next year, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has confirmed.

It announced in 2018 that RAF Scampton, near Lincoln, would be closed as part of cost-saving measures.

Now, the sale date has been verified in a letter to Gainsborough MP Sir Edward Leigh.

The distinctive jets will remain in Lincolnshire, though, as the team is to move to nearby RAF Waddington.

In the letter, Minister of State for Defence Procurement Jeremy Quin said his office had been working with West Lindsey District Council to deliver a future for the site that "provides the greatest benefit for the local community".

He also confirmed that an "ambitious plan that utilises the whole site" was being considered, said the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Mr Quin added the ability of the Red Arrows to continue training in the airspace above Scampton once it was redeveloped would depend on the scale and nature of the development.

He said in those circumstances the RAF would work with the Civilian Aviation Authority to "explore alternative airspaces in Lincolnshire to allow the Red Arrows to continue to train in the airspace above the county from their new base at RAF Waddington".

In February, Sir Edward confirmed the MoD had yet to find private companies interested in securing the site for future development, but that the plan was for it to be shut by 2022.

As well as being home to the Red Arrows since 2000, Scampton was also the station from which the famous 617 "Dambusters" squadron launched its "bouncing bomb" attacks on German targets in World War Two.

A campaign has been launched to preserve the history of the site and the Save Scampton group would like to see it run by a charitable trust and transformed into a heritage centre.