The British army is to close its HQ in Derry city and demolish a watchtower in south Armagh. The army said the decision was "a significant step towards normalisation".
The announcement was made yesterday by the Chief Constable, Sir Ronnie Flanagan. The Police Service of Northern Ireland has overall responsibility for security. The policy of "police primacy" with the British army in a supporting role was established in 1977.
Sir Ronnie said the decisions were taken following consultation with the General Officer Commanding (GOC) in the North.
Ebrington Barracks is the army's main centre in the north-west and has been a naval and army installation since 1841. Closure will be completed by December 2003.
Some 500 soldiers of the Coldstream Guards stationed there will return to England but will remain under the call of the GOC.
Others will move to Shackleton Barracks in Ballykelly, Co Derry, where facilities are to be extended to accommodate them. There are 164 civilian employees at the Derry barracks, and the army says it hopes to keep redundanc ies to a minimum.
An army spokeswoman described it as "a significant closure" which would reduce troop levels to 13,500 - down from 30,000 in 1972 - and a 21 per cent fall since 1994. The closure will leave 59 army bases in Northern Ireland. There were 105 when the IRA and loyalist paramilitaries declared ceasefires in 1994.
The watchtower at Glassdrummond in Co Armagh was the scene of disturbances involving members of Ogra Sinn Féin and army personnel last month. Demolition work began yesterday.