THE 144 HOUSES at RAF Edzell are to come on the market at 20% below their market valuation.

The former married quarters for RAF and US Navy personnel have been bought from the Ministry of Defence by the Somerset­based Welbeck Homes, who spoke yesterday for the first time since concluding the deal just before Christmas.

GA Property Services have valued the houses, ranging from three bedroomed terraced to four bedroomed detached, at between £35,000 and £75 000. Welbeck director Roger Collins said "We will sell at 20% below these figures."

"We particularly want to attract first­time buyers and our aim is to undercut considerably any new, speculative housing going on."

"Sales will be through GA and we have brought in the Nationwide Building Society to undertake detailed surveys. They have said they will provide maximum mortgages to the public."

The Ships Inn, once the social centre for US personnel and their families, has attracted the interest of hoteliers keen to reinstate it as a pub for the new community.

A company is in discussion with Welbeck about the possibility of turning the former primary school into a training/seminar facility.

RAF Edzell is the 39th ex­Ministry of Defence estate purchased in the UK since 1979 by Mr. Collins and his fellow director Roger Bamber.

"This is our first in Scotland and we will be applying the same criteria as in the past" added Mr. Collins.

"We will upgrade all the houses to the highest 1998 building standards."

"Every one will be overhauled, plumbing, electric's, decoration. We have been in discussion with the North of Scotland Water Authority and we will spend £1.5 million upgrading the infrastructure, drainage, water supply, etc."

"The perimeter barbed wire fence will be taken down to remove the 'Colditz' feel. Total investment in the project, including purchase, is £5.5 million. We hope to have it up and running by Easter."

Mr Collins said the company intends to set up a management company to maintain the common areas in the development and, once the houses are occupied, a residents' co­operative will take over the responsibility.

"The base is one of the prettiest and best maintained estates we have ever bought" he said.

He and Mr Bamber have military backgrounds and up to the age of 18 lived in similar married quarters.

Welbeck has bought MOD properties since 1979 and is redeveloping RAF Linton, near York.

"We have tendered for 55 sites and been accepted for 39, with our bid not necessarily the highest," said Mr Collins. "Most of our sites have sold very well. From 20 years' experience, we anticipate 20%­25% of buyers will be ex­military personnel."

"We have been approached already by about 30 people, mainly locals interested, in the Edzell houses and in my opinion all will be sold within two years."

He indicated he was keen to meet the Carnegie family who bought the rest of the base for redevelopment.

"Hopefully we will be able to feed off each other," he said.

"I have already used the old runways on three occasions when I flew up during negotiations for the sale."