Royal Navy base saved from closure
The MoD was warning closing the site would be a 'huge mistake'
Last updated 14th Dec 2022
A Royal Navy training base in Gosport has been saved from closure.
The government's confirmed HMS Sultan will continue to provide engineering training.
The 2016 MoD "A Better Defence Estate" set out plans to dispose of 91 military sites across the UK which would have seen HMS Sultan close.
In a recent update from the Minister of State for Defence Procurement, Alec Chalk KC MP, it was confirmed that the MOD no longer intends to dispose of HMS Sultan.
This Ministry of Defence change of heart on Sultan comes after a hard fought campaign by Gosport MP Caroline Dinenage to demonstrate its closure would be detrimental to Royal Navy engineering training, a financial disaster for the MoD and a betrayal of the Gosport community.
Caroline met with former Defence Secretary Michael Fallon MP shortly after the 2016 announcement and in 2017 brought then Defence Minister, Tobias Ellwood MP, to Gosport to visit HMS Sultan and show him first-hand the importance of retaining the Ofsted-excellent-rated training establishment.
In 2019, the MOD had a change of heart and announced HMS Sultan would close but not before 2029. Since then, Caroline has continued to campaign against its closure and most recently bought the Defence Secretary the Rt Hon Ben Wallace MP to the area.
Caroline said: “I’m delighted that the Ministry of Defence have finally concluded what local people have always known, that closing HMS Sultan would be a huge mistake for the MoD the Royal Navy and Gosport. This area has a proud history of serving our Armed Forces and excellent facilities such as these are vital to ensuring that our personnel are equipped with the skills they need to defend our country.”