Support the Army and Save RAF Lyneham Information extracts from the ‘Military Presence and Economic Significance in the South West Region Report March 2009, Wiltshire Council. The Facts – as the Malmesbury Chamber see them • The local economic area around RAF Lyneham includes Swindon, Chippenham, Bath, Trowbridge and Devizes. There will eventually be a £90 million black hole in our economy by 2015. • FTE employment would fall by around 3,400 jobs • Reduction in real household disposable income of around £86m • The RAF will withdraw and the gates will close by 31 st December 2012. • The Hercules aircraft fleet iwill stop flying out of Lyneham by Summer 2011. • Military earnings in the area described above would be around £58m, • There will be 80% decrease of the current military earnings in the area. • Malmesbury shops will be affected and we will lose business. Wotton Basset will be a ghost town. • Personnel who own their homes are expected to move gradually or to commute to RAF Brize Norton. • The ‘disposals process’ for RAF Lyneham is in place. • The new Coalition Government is currently conducting a Strategic Defence and Security Review and they intend to publish their conclusions in a White Paper by the end of the year. • This could result in a new MOD use of the site. • This is the preferred option so support the Army in their application to centralise their logistics operations at Lyneham, This will help secure our long term future. More information contact Warren Hateley Chairman of the Chamber on [email protected] [Type text] .