Consultation begins on Deepcut barracks housing plan

The final stage of consultation has begun into plans to build homes on the site of Deepcut barracks.

The land at Princess Royal Barracks has been judged suitable for housing and will be sold off by the Ministry of Defence when the Army leaves in 2013.

The consultation is being carried out by Surrey Heath and Guildford borough councils.

Four soldiers died in shooting incidents at the barracks between 1995 and 2002.

Open verdicts

Residents' views will contribute to the Deepcut Supplementary Planning Document, the council said.

Residents have said the scale of the scheme could place a strain on schools, surgeries and the surrounding roads.

Ptes Geoff Gray, of Seaham, Co Durham, Sean Benton, 20, of Hastings, East Sussex, James Collinson, 17, of Perth, and Cheryl James, 18, of Llangollen, Denbighshire, all died of bullet wounds at the training base in separate incidents.

Inquests into the deaths recorded a verdict of suicide in Pte Benton's case and open verdicts for the other three.