FEARS that RAF Odiham could face the axe as part of a Ministry of Defence cost-cutting exercise have been heightened following a national newspaper article stating that the decision to close the base will be announced in the autumn.
But the assumption that closure is to go ahead has been firmly denied by Squadron Leader Bob Parratt, who insists that no formal decision has yet been taken.
As community relations officer at RAF Odiham, Sqn Ldr Parratt told The Herald that an internal survey was still on-going as part of a Ministry of Defence "estate rationalisation" exercise, designed to centralise the country's helicopter force and realise capital investment.
News of possible closure first broke in October last year, just months after Odiham had been declared a "key base" for the newly formed Joint Helicopter Command (JHC).
According to a spokesperson at the time, a feasibility study was being carried out to consider what savings could be made by closing one of two bases in the UK. Odiham was one of them and Dishforth in Yorkshire the other.
If Odiham should close the recommendation is that the three Chinook helicopter squadrons based there should be transferred to a naval base at Yeovilton in Somerset, to operate alongside Royal Navy Sea King, Lynx and Gazelle helicopters under a joint rotary wing command.
It is thought that Army Air Corps helicopters may also move there.
While the sale of the Odiham base is alleged to be worth £500m, speculation locally is that its release could be seen as fortuitous in an area under government pressure to find more sites for development.