The chairman of the trustees of Headley Court has said its charity will start negotiating this week with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) over its future use following the announcement that rehabilitation for medical casualties is to move to the Midlands.

Air Vice Marshall Tony Stables explained that the charity the trustees are affiliated with, the Headley Court Charity, owns the site, which is leased to the MoD.

He said: "We haven’t had any discussions as we didn’t need to have any discussions. 

"Until the Secretary of State made a decision there was no point.

"The MoD won’t vacate the site before 2017-18 which still gives us four years’ from now.

"But, in the next week, discussions will start. 

"The first discussion will be with the Charity Commission. 

"The Headley Court Charity is governed by a scheme which has as a clear purpose - the medical rehabilitation of members of the armed forces.

"We would have to have a discussion with the commission to see if we could vary it if we wanted to do this."

Your Local Guardian:

When asked about a covenant on the site which apparently requires Headley Court to be restored to its original state if it is no longer being used for the purpose for which it was created, he said: "In the terms of the lease there are clauses which may or may not require the reinstatement of the facility. 

"As part of the lease, the MoD may or may not be required by the trust to make good the site.

"The trust will enter into negotiations with the MoD and look at what liability exists." 

He added: "If the site was to be sold, the state of the site would be dependent on the wishes of the prospective owner."

RELATED STORIES:

Mole Valley MP Paul Beresford writes to Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt to keep Headley Court as medical rehabilitation centre

'Expertise and facilities for servicemen and civilians could go to waste at Headley Court'

Government confirms Headley Court will be replaced with new complex in Midlands