A QUESTION mark hangs over the future of vital emergency services at a former Hampshire airbase after the Ministry of Defence announced plans to sell it.

Both the Hampshire police spotter plane and the coastguard's helicopter are currently based at HMS Daedalus in Lee-on-the-Solent, but that could change if the MoD presses ahead with its plans.

As reported in the Daily Echo, defence chiefs announced plans to sell off 96 hectares of the former military airbase that looks likely to be snapped up by housing developers.

But the plans threaten airstrips currently used by the emergency services at the base to launch aircraft to call-outs.

Both the coastguard and Hampshire police were caught off-guard by the announcement earlier this week, which means they might have to start looking for another home.

Now they have 40 days to notify defence bosses of their need to stay at Daedalus.

Hampshire Police Authority chairman Councillor Simon Hayes said: "We just don't know what the situation is at the moment. All we know is that it isn't likely that they will build houses around an airstrip so it is a case of finding out what to do.

"We are having a briefing, so hopefully we will get some idea about timescale and what we have to do as tenants."

Service operations manager at Solent Coastguard Bob Woodwark said he was not panicking yet as during the 16 years the service had been based at Daedalus there have been a number of similar scares.

He said: "We came very close to being sold off so the site could be used for gravel extraction. We have been here before. We will take advantage of the period they have given us to respond and request that we secure a long-term lease somewhere on the site.

"It is an ideal place for us so we would not like to find ourselves without it. It was a bit of a surprise to hear the announcement, but we will make sure they know we want to stay."

Defence Estates, who manages the site, have confirmed that all existing leases with tenants will be honoured and nothing will happen without consultation.

A spokesman said that English Partnership, the government's advisor on regeneration, has been notified of a 40-day consultation period to see if other government departments are interested.

He added: "The police and coastguard can approach English Partnership to register their interest as long as they have support from the relevant government department.

"No decision will be made without consultation with Fareham and Gosport councils.

"The MoD remains fully open with decisions and wish to make them with best intentions of the community and tax payer."

She added that no one would be asked to leave the site until they had found a suitable alternative.