Chelsea Barracks is a British Army barracks located approximately three-quarters of a mile from Buckingham Palace in central London. It is in Chelsea Bridge Road, Chelsea, SW1H 8RF, at the end of Lower Sloane Street. The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. ... Buckingham Palace and the Victoria Memorial. ... Part of the London skyline viewed from the South Bank London is the most populous city in the European Union, with an estimated population on 1 January 2005 of 7. ... Chelsea is a district of London, loosely defined by the area around the Kings Road, beginning at Sloane Square at one end, and the Worlds End public house at the other, the River Thames and the Victorian artists district to the south, and some parts between the King...

http://www.images-of-london.co.uk/jss/product.php?xProd=2578 (photo of the barracks in 1907)

The three incremental companies of the Foot Guards (Nijmegen Company, Grenadier Guards; No 7 Company, Coldstream Guards; F Company, Scots Guards; all on permanent public duties in London) are based there. The Guards Division of the British Army contains a total of five battalions, one from each of the five regiments of Foot Guards. ... Foot guards is a term used to describe elite infantry regiments. ... The Grenadier Guards is the most senior regiment of the Guards Division of the British Army, and, as such, is the most senior regiment of infantry. ... The Coldstream Guards is a regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division. ... The Scots Guards are a regiment of the British Army and have a long and proud history stretching back hundreds of years. ... Three infantry battalions of the British army are currently tasked with the provision of Public Duties. ... Part of the London skyline viewed from the South Bank London is the most populous city in the European Union, with an estimated population on 1 January 2005 of 7. ...

It is planned that Chelsea Barracks will close in 2007, to be sold for redevelopment, with its resident units transferring to the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich. 2007 (MMVII) is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Royal Artillery Barracks in 1900 The Royal Artillery Barracks at Woolwich is the home of the Royal Artillery. ... Woolwich (pronounced Woolitch) is a town in south-east London, England in the London Borough of Greenwich, on the south side of the River Thames, though the tiny exclave of North Woolwich (which is now part of the London Borough of Newham) is on the north side of the river. ...

The Secretary State of Defence, John Reid, announced on 6 September that Woolwich Station will be kept as infantry barracks whilst Chelsea Barracks will be sold. Woolwich Station will be refurbished to accommodate approximately 1,000 infantry soldiers based in London and their families. Chelsea Barracks, originally built for two battalions, needs extensive renovations and currently houses only 300 personnel. The site is to be vacated by 2008.

Under the MODs FOI request number 29-09-2005-104742-001 was submitted on 13/10/2005. Details are "Request for details of the funds raised by selling Chelsea Barracks"

http://www.mod.uk/linked_files/publications/foi/rr/reqsep05_05.pdf

MoD hopes to make £200m from Chelsea Barracks sale. By Neil Tweedie.(Filed: 07/09/2005). www.telegraph.co.uk

The Ministry of Defence is expected to make £200 million from the sale of a barracks in one of London's most expensive residential areas.

Almost 14 acres of "super-prime" land in the heart of fashionable Chelsea will be offered to developers from 2008, providing a windfall for the department. Town houses built on the site will command prices of £1 million and above, with one-bedroom flats fetching at least £300,000.

The decision, announced yesterday by the Defence Secretary, John Reid, was long expected. Chelsea Barracks are in poor condition, the ugly tower blocks built in the early 1960s no longer in use. The MoD said yesterday that the site was no longer required, even taking into account the heightened terrorist threat. The cost of renewing the buildings would be prohibitive.

Instead, the 250 or so troops who use Chelsea will be transferred to Woolwich Barracks in south-east London, which will become home to most of the infantry units stationed in London for public and other duties. Some £50 million is to be spent refurbishing Woolwich, home of the Royal Artillery since the 18th Century.

Selling off Chelsea. (Filed: 07/09/2005). www.telegraph.co.uk

The Government's decision to sell Chelsea barracks makes sound commercial sense. Property developers are thought likely to pay at least £150 million for the 14.4 acre site, probably more. Another happy consequence of the sale is that it will mean keeping open Woolwich barracks in the east of London, home for more than three centuries to the Royal Artillery. Georgian Woolwich is far more handsome than 1960s Chelsea, and will offer better facilities to the soldiers who will live and train there.

Nor does the sale pose any risk to the capital's security. If it should ever become necessary to muster large numbers of troops in central London, this can still be done on the huge parade ground at Wellington barracks in Westminster, or at the Army's other bases in Knightsbridge, Regent's Park and the City.

We have only one regret about Chelsea's closure: nowhere in central London has the Army's presence been more visible than here. How sad that there will be nothing left, when the Army trucks and Land Rovers lined up on the parade ground have gone, to remind Chelsea shoppers of the military might on which their liberties have always depended.

http://www.property-week.co.uk/magazine/html/09_September_2005.html (Needs password).

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4218386.stm (Chelsea Barracks to be sold off).

http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200304/cmhansrd/vo040316/text/40316w13.htm Departmental Buildings

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the (a) land and (b) buildings in central London owned by (i) his Department, (ii) its agencies and (iii) the UK armed forces, giving the value in each case. [156709]

Mr. Caplin: The National Asset Register, (NAR), published by HM Treasury, provides a comprehensive list and valuation of all of the assets owned by every Government department and their sponsored bodies. A copy of the 2001 NAR has been placed in the Library of the House and can be accessed on the HM Treasury website at http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk. It should be noted that these are asset valuations and do not represent the disposal value of these assets.

In central London the MoD, (including Agencies and Service personnel), holds a number of major properties. Those which have a realisable value to the Department have been valued and included in the NAR.

16 Mar 2004 : Column 198W

Such properties are listed in the table with the NAR values shown comprising the sum of the land value and the value of the various buildings. Service Families Accommodation and properties used solely by Visiting Forces and Reserve Forces have been excluded.

Property Location Use NAR Value (£) Chelsea Barracks Chelsea Barracks 58,530,000 DCSA St Vincent Whitehall Communications 14,918,000 Great Scotland Yard Whitehall Offices 2,557,000 Horse Guards Whitehall Barracks 6,130,000 Hyde Park Barracks Knightsbridge Barracks 72,170,000 Main Building Whitehall Offices 65,909,000 Northumberland House Whitehall Offices 11,736,000 Old War Office Whitehall Offices 63,370,000 RCDS Seaford House Westminster College 1,667,000 Regents Park Barracks Regents Park Barracks 29,190,000 Wellington Barracks Petty France Barracks 106,210,000

Following the Chief Secretary's letter of 10 September, there is an automatic presumption against locating new and reconstituted activity in London and the South-East and a moratorium against all Government Departments renewing, creating new leases or purchasing freehold property for office-based activities over 2000 sq. m. The Lyons Review reported to the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 15 March.

Latest News. Army to remain at Woolwich, Chelsea Barracks to close. Published Tuesday 6th September 2005 http://news.mod.uk/news/press/news_headline_story.asp?newsItem_id=3519

Historic Woolwich Station is to be retained and extensively refurbished to house infantry soldiers based in London, the Secretary of State for Defence, John Reid, announced on 6 September 2005.

The Station was due to close following the departure of 16 Regiment Royal Artillery in 2007. But following a two-year study into its London estate, the Ministry of Defence has decided to refurbish the Station to become the long-term home of some 1,000 Army personnel (and their families) posted to London, predominately for ceremonial duties. As part of the decision, Chelsea Barracks will be disposed of.

John Reid said:

"Soldiers on public and ceremonial duties in London are one of the most striking emblems of our great capital city. Historic Woolwich Station will be a fitting home for these soldiers.

"The investment in Woolwich Station will provide new training, sports, recreation and accommodation facilities.

"None of these improvements is possible at Chelsea Barracks without knocking down the whole site and rebuilding it. Retaining Woolwich offers both good value for money and first-class facilities. The decision is a win-win for soldiers."

Major-General Sebastian Roberts, General Officer Commanding for the London District, said:

"The decision to retain Woolwich Station means that the Army's 400 year old links with the area can continue as strong as ever. Soldiers will welcome the move to Woolwich, as it means a better quality of life for them and their families in a striking, historic location."

Woolwich Station was built between 1776 and 1802 to be the home of the Royal Artillery (RA). The area has a long military association, with references to the ordnance at Woolwich dating from the 15th century. The MOD announced in 2004 that the last remaining RA regiment stationed at Woolwich, 16 Regiment, will relocate to Thorney Island near Chichester. The home of the Royal Artillery will be Larkhill, on Salisbury Plain, which is to be a RA centre of excellence. Close links between the Royal Artillery and Woolwich will be maintained by the independent "Firepower" museum which is at Woolwich Arsenal.

On current plans, Woolwich Station will house two of the three infantry battalions stationed in London at any one time, along with their support elements. Infantry battalions are predominantly posted to London for Public Duties and State Ceremonial duties, although they remain deployable for operations both at home and overseas.

Until now, many ceremonial duties personnel have been accommodated at Chelsea Barracks, which is in need of extensive renewal. The barracks were built in 1962 on the site of earlier buildings constructed in the 1860s. The barracks were originally built for two battalions, but now only house 300 personnel. Chelsea Barracks will be disposed of after the site has been vacated in 2008. Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow, which can accommodate approximately 600 personnel, may also be disposed of if another Defence use cannot be found for the site.