A district council has been granted £230,000 to use towards plans for the ensuing departure of the US military from an air force base.

Forest Heath District Council will receive the money from the government's One Public Estate programme to help plan for the future or RAF Mildenhall, with USAF set to leave the base by 2021.

Forest Heath will manage the grant on behalf of several partner agencies, including West Suffolk councils, Suffolk County Council, Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough LEP, New Anglia LEP and West Suffolk Clinical Commissioning Group.

James Waters, leader of Forest Heath District Council said: 'The Government has recognised that there are huge challenges that lay before us in preparing for the closure of RAF Mildenhall in around six years time.

'The decisions that we make over the next few years can shape or break local growth and prosperity.

'This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to use publicly-owned land to shape the future and fortunes of Mildenhall and the surrounding area.'

Matthew Hancock, MP for West Suffolk, said: 'I am delighted that the Government is putting its money where its mouth is and funding the further development for the town's innovative hub project.'