SAR: MCA acquires Daedalus from MoD
 

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency has announced that it has acquired the former HMS Daedalus Royal Naval Air Station at Lee on Solent Hampshire from the MoD.
The 106 hectares (256 acres) site will enable the Agency's existing SAR ops to continue to operate from Daedalus.

The Agency has already received consent from both Fareham and Gosport Borough Councils for the construction of a new helicopter hangar facility with appropriate small office accommodation to be undertaken on the site and it is envisaged that site works will commence in May with completion by autumn 2007.

Peter Dymond, Chief Coastguard, said: "This acquisition confirms the MCA's commitment to continue to deliver a first class Search and Rescue service to one of the busiest coastal and shipping areas in the U.K. "

The South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) has acquired the remaining 82.4 ha (204 acres) of the site.

Richard Parkes, Technical Services Director, MCA, said: "After long negotiations we are looking forward to working with our partners to implement the £8 million investment."

So what is happening to the police plank and Atlas Helicopters (who used to work from there and perhaps still do)?. Sounds like the "Development Agency" will be interested in turning most of the airfield into a retail park or housing estate or even a marina (given how much money they can make from such things)

I understand that ...

A lump of the airfield, including the hangar's on the west side will fall outside the MCA purchase area and that will [eventually] reduce accomodation. The Hampshire plank operates from the Control Tower on the east side and is not affected, but they will need a new home for the aircraft as it is stored on the other side.

Whether they will co-habit with the MCA [south side] or go for a new-build remains to be seen.

It is probably too early for all the other tenants to have decided what and where...