City planners to decide on new marine training base at Devonport Naval Base

Plans to move Royal Marines from Poole and Turnchapel to Plymouth are expected to take a step forward.

The move to "co-locate" the marines in the city were announced as part of last autumn's defence review.

Now the Ministry of Defence has applied to Plymouth City Council for planning permission to build a new training base with a marina and slipway at Devonport Naval Base.

If city planners agree at their meeting on June 2, the project could be given the go-ahead in the summer.

The proposed waterfront base would be at Weston Mill Lake and will allow the marines to be trained in handling amphibious craft.

The development includes two new buildings to provide headquarters, engineering and training facilities.

The MoD would also build a marina including pontoons and berthing areas at the eastern end of Weston Mill Lake.

It would also construct a slipway and jetty at the western end, which will require dredging and foreshore improvements.

The project will include a hardstanding area for boat storage and improvements to an access road. The training centre will be on the northern boundary of the Naval Base.

An MoD spokeswoman said: "If planning permission is given, we shall be seeking final Ministry of Defence approval in June or July."