A paper’s campaign on a dockyard development may have hit a brick wall.

Defence minister Geoff Hoon has given a disappointing response to efforts by the Plymouth Evening Herald to get a wartime dockyard wall removed so that the area can be redeveloped.

The dockyard wall stands in the way of a proposed £50m project.

He said the Government would take on board the feelings of the Devonport community but warned that a solution could be years away.

He said: “The Government understands, as the Herald campaign makes clear, that the dockyard wall is a matter of real concern.

“I know the community are realistic. They realise the wall is not going to come down overnight.

“Even if funding were to be made available today, we are not likely to have the replacement facilities ready until late 2003 at the earliest.”

The reply has angered campaigners who feel that no real efforts are being made to address the issue.

Local spokesman Sam Shabey said: “This is no more than they were talking about three years ago.”

The Herald began its campaign earlier this year after the government turned down a £4m bid from the Royal Navy to build a new storage facility at the site.

Back to the campaigns index

Do you have a story for us?
Ring the HoldTheFrontPage newsdesk on
01332 291111 x6022, or e-mail us now