LOCAL MP Sir Michael Spicer has pledged to find out what will be done with the former DERA North Site in Malvern.

Sir Michael made the promise after visiting the Malvern Hills Science Park, next to the main DERA site, on Monday (September 18).

He said: "It is evident that some of the embryonic companies based at the science park will be expanding rapidly and will need premises to go to."

North Site is currently occupied by the Army Technical Support Agency (ATSA), which is due to relocate to Hampshire. It will be empty by 2002 and has been declared redundant.

It has been suggested the land could be used as a site for manufacturing industry, but there has also been talk of locating housing on it.

Under draft proposals in the Worcestershire Structure Plan, Malvern will have to find space for some 700 new homes by 2011.

"For the good of the future of Malvern, we have to know what will become of this site. I will be pressing the Ministry of Defence for an answer," said Sir Michael.

The science park was set up to encourage the development of high-tech companies exploiting scientific discoveries made at nearby DERA

Sir Michael said he would also be asking the MoD whether the forthcoming part-privatisation of DERA will need new legislation.

He said: "This is something that constituents of mine who work at DERA have asked me to find out. If it does need legislation, then it implies it may be quite a long time until it can be carried out, because the parliamentary timetable is very full already."