A former Ministry of Defence rehabilitation centre is being put up for an estimated price of £30million as Britain’s wounded heroes are moved to a stately home four times the size.
The 82-acre site, at Headley Court in Surrey, which was set up after World War Two, could now be converted into housing, a hotel or a school.
A new £300m Defence and National Rehabilitation Centre will be based at Stanford Hall, near Loughborough.
The MoD said the centre, set to open next year, would increase the ‘size and scope’ of defence rehabilitation as it will be four times the size of Headley Court.
Stanford Hall will be a national facility, meaning the general public can access the expertise used to treat injured soldiers.
The 82-acre site, at Headley Court in Surrey, which was set up after World War Two, could now be converted into housing, a hotel or a school
Headley Court provides medical care for 20,000 injured servicemen and women each year
Patients (pictured in 1983) walk to classes at Headley Court – it will now be converted into housing, a hotel or a school
The military rehabilitation centre is owned by the Trustees of the Headley Court Charity and has been used as a medical rehabilitation centre for armed forces personal since the 1940s.
It was originally founded to care for Royal Air Force (RAF) pilots injured in World War Two.
It now provides medical care for 20,000 injured servicemen and women each year. It has had an influx of patients in recent years due to the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Patients play the board game Jenga at the rehabilitation centre in 1983 – it was first set up after World War Two
Air Vice Marshal Anthony J Stables, chairman of the Headley Court Charity, said: ‘For almost 70 years the medical rehabilitation facility at Headley Court has cared for wounded, injured and sick members of the Armed Forces and it holds a very special place in many peoples’ hearts.
‘Recognising that the single object of the charity will be subsumed within the objects of the Black Stork Charity operating at the Stanford Hall estate, the trustees have resolved to sell the Headley Court estate.
‘Following the sale, trustees will seek to revise their charitable objects acting in the very best interests of the Armed Forces community.’
Stanford Hall was chosen for its central location, size, rural setting and proximity to the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine at the new Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, where wounded members of the armed forces are treated prior to clinical rehabilitation.
Prince Harry and Prince William speak with injured soldiers during a visit to Headley Court in April 2008
Headley Court will be sold by property firm Knight Frank.
It has said potential future uses of the site include which has said potential future uses of the site include homes, a hotel, a school, a retirement home or continued use as a residential institution.
The huge estate consists of a Grade-II listed mansion as well as 133 bedrooms in the staff accommodation, and 56 semi-detached and eight detached residential properties.
There are also offices and sporting facilities, as well as parking for 400 cars.
It has been valued by experts at around £30m.
It was originally founded to care for Royal Air Force (RAF) pilots injured in World War Two
The former Ministry of Defence medical rehabilitation site is being put up for sale by the Trustees of the Headley Court Charity
The military rehabilitation centre at Headley Court in Surrey (pictured) will move to a stately home in the East Midlands
Emma Cleugh, a partner at Knight Frank which is handling the sale for Headley Court Charity, believes the site will attract interest from around the world. Knight Frank is not quoting a guide price for the sale.
She said: ‘Our aim is to do the very best for the Headley Court Charity as the DMRC moves forward in its relocation, thus allowing the Charity to continue and expand its good work, but in a different way.
‘Headley Court has a range of impressive attributes and is in a superb location.
‘We expect to see interest from UK and overseas purchasers including private individuals, institutions, hotel and retirement housing operators, and developers.
‘We will be actively marketing the property over the coming months with the aim to draw interest to a conclusion later this year.’
A new £300m Defence and National Rehabilitation Centre (artists’ impression) will be based at Stanford Hall