A ministry of Defence base near Bicester will shut with the loss of up to 300 jobs, Defence Secretary Des Browne announced yesterday.

The 300 staff at the Defence Logistics Organisation base in Caversfield were told yesterday the site would close within four years due to a merger with the Defence Procurement Agency.

Les Sibley, spokesman for the Transport and General Workers Union which represents hundreds of MoD workers in Bicester, said he was not surprised.

He said: "Obviously it's a worrying time. We will need to have a look at the detail to see what impact this decision will have on the livelihoods of MoD civil servants.

"We have been given assurances that they will do all they can to minimise the impact." Mr Sibley added the announcement came on the back of last July's announcement of 180 job cuts at MoD sites in Ambrosden, Arncott, and D-site, near Bicester, as part of the Future Defence Supply Chain Initiative's programme of redundancies and closures.

He said: "If the MoD continues to reduce the MoD work force I have grave concerns as to whether or not we will be able to deliver the services our armed forces need to meet their commitments."

An MoD spokesman said: "This is not going to happen until 2009/2010. It's not being sprung on staff. There are genuine and real benefits to the soldiers on the front line. The majority of the posts in Caversfield will transfer to Bristol and Bath."