Air Cadets building set to reopen next year

The Air Cadets building in Bowerhill is set to reopen next year, after the MOD confirmed improvement works are due to begin in January.

The update follows the front page of the last issue of the Melksham News, which highlighted residents’ concerns over the ongoing closure of the 2385 Melksham Squadron building that has remained shut since February this year.

Now, the MOD says work is hoped to be completed so the building can open by the end of March 2026, although exact timescales will become clearer as the project progresses.

Following the building’s closure, cadets have been travelling to Bradford-on-Avon for twice-weekly meetings, and numbers have dropped from what was once a thriving squadron. Residents voiced frustration about the lack of information from the MOD and feared the building might be closed permanently.

The update has also been shared in a letter to MP Brian Mathew who had also raised concerns about the building’s ongoing closure.

The letter said, “There is no plan to permanently close or move the Squadron. The intention is to refurbish the current building to ensure it meets the necessary standards for safe and effective use, with every expectation that this will be completed within this financial year.

“The squadron was temporarily closed in January 2025 following concerns raised to RAF Air Cadets Headquarters Infrastructure Team.

“Inspections revealed electrical self-help works that had been undertaken that rendered the unit unsafe for the Cadets and Cadet Forces Adult Volunteers. The issues were also highlighted in a Fire Risk Assessment, amounting to an ‘At Risk’ grading being given.

“In March 2025, safety checks identified that the fuse boards needed replacing. To minimise disruption, these works were combined with a planned annual refurbishment. However, unauthorised use of the premises, albeit not by cadets, was identified in May, resulting in the power being turned off and the site padlocked for safety.”