A project to redevelop the land and fencing at RNAS Culdrose has now begun. 

The fencing project is a collaboration between Defence Infrastructure, Navy Command Infrastructure, Vivo Defence Services Ltd and the RNAS Culdrose Infrastructure team and will see a new fence erected and around 6,600 trees, shrubs, and bushes planted as part of a major redevelopment at the Cornish air station.

The land around the fence line was cleared last year, which included several mature trees near the main entrance. These trees were near the end of their life and would have been damaged by the current works.  

Contractors have this week begun erection sections of the new fence and have estimated that the work would take most of this year to complete, with the replanting work to follow.

Captain Stuart Irwin, the commanding officer of RNAS Culdrose, said: “Our current perimeter fence is well past its best and has needed a replacement for some time.

“Aside from the security implications of protecting Culdrose, the generally poor appearance of the fence has been an annoyance to our personnel and the wider community, who are proud of the Royal Navy and rightly want the air station in a ship-shape condition.

Captain Irwin said every effort had been made to keep as many trees as possible, adding: “This project also included planting thousands of native trees and bushes to screen the base as much as possible, which is after all on the edge of an area of outstanding natural beauty.

“Most of the trees will go to the north of the airfield as well as around the living quarters to the south of the main road.

“As the home of the Royal Navy’s anti-submarine warfare helicopter fleet, we do what we do here at RNAS Culdrose is essential to our defence – whether that is protecting our aircraft carrier strike groups, our submarines and nuclear deterrent and under-sea critical national infrastructure.

“This investment on behalf of defence is a recognition of Culdrose’s importance and future security, as we continue to play a central role in the defence of our country and our interests worldwide.”