Manorbier.com
AFTER DARK FIRING AT THE MANORBIER RANGE
A Public Meeting about the after dark firing at Manorbier Range by the MOD and their planning application to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park was very well attended on the evening of Thursday 5th January held at the Community Centre at Skrinkle.
The master of ceremonies was Cllr T Wales, Chairman of the Manorbier Community Council, who conducted the evenings events which consisted of a presentation by Major Warburton, a "teach-in" on Noise and the noise effects of missile firing by Mr Bullmore followed by a recap by Major Warburton before questions from the public and other attendees.
Major Warburton outlined and detailed the activities presently being carried out on the range and the effect of any changes due to the current planning application. Essentially the range wish to fire some 5 missiles per day on 20 days throughout the year but with no firing during August or at weekends. Firing being from dusk to 10 p.m. in winter and till 11 p.m. in summer when daylight hours greater. The number of overall firings being reduced by the 100 scheduled for darkness hours.
Mr. Bullmore of Hoare Lea Acoustics, the firm employed by the MoD as noise consultants provided a broad coverage of hearing, sound ( both frequency and amplitude ) and noise. The latter being an involved subject where deciBells are used to measure the intensity with respect to a reference level. The closest to the human ear response being an "A" weighted scale and allowing for the low frequency spectrum, not within the usual hearing range of 20 to 20,000 cycles per second, use of the "C" weighted scale. References were made to the levels of noise and the type of noise measured from current daylight firing. These measurements having been made at selected sites in June 2005.
Before going on to the question and answer session the chairman who had clearly given his permission asked for approval of those attending to let Mr Cochrane play a recording on the equipment he had set up in the hall. With such approval the tape was played. Bird song and detonations were heard. Mr Cochrane has for many years complained about the range noises. The taped recording of the noise levels at his premises during firing was to show the effect it was having on his lifestyle. In the recording birds could be heard singing and when questioned by County Cllr Calver over how close the birds were Mr Cochrane revealed that they were 200 to 300 yards away from the recording equipment.
Major Warburton addressed the complaints issues a number of times and pointed out that no complaints had been received in 2005 and very few in previous years.
Many residents were concerned regarding the effect the firing would have on their businesses and also the health of their children. One local hotelier was concerned that it drastically effect his hotel and wondered who would be giving him compensation whilst another resident was concerned regarding the health of his children and the effect it would have on his child. Major Warburton pointed out the nearest property to the ranges had a young child and then revealed that the parent had informed him that the child was not affected by the firing and in fact sleeps through the existing firing.
Another local lady who was presently raising her family stated that they were not affected by the present firing.
Many residents felt that the range had been at Manorbier before they had moved to the area and accepted it with one member of the audience remarking that it was the same few people complaining about the range all the time.
Cllr Calver asked Mrs Milner, the planning officer from the National Park, who attended the meeting to outline to the meeting the criteria on which the application would be decided. Mrs Milner informed the meeting that the application could be only rejected if a valid planning reason could be presented to the planning committee. Cllr Calver felt that although he had listened to the noise consultants presentation and that there were different views on the planning application and its likely noise effect on the local area he would propose that planning consent given for a limited period and suggested to Major Warburton that perhaps this was the way forward. Major Warburton seemed happy with this suggestion and informed the meeting that they would be happy go forward on that basis but the period would have to be a reasonable time scale of say two years. Cllr Calver also revealed that some residents had contacted him regarding location of monitoring equipment and he said he would be happy to pass on to the County Council suggested monitoring sites.
Website Comments
The army ranges have been at Manorbier for many years ( pre WW2 ) and local opinion has been divided over the need to have an army range in the Pembrokeshire National Park with some even suggesting that it should be closed down.. We have all just enjoyed the Christmas holiday period with some of us having our sons and daughters and their respective families home but there are many families throughout Great Britain with loved ones serving with the armed services in foreign countries. Without going into the debate as to how they were sent there or if they should be there, all of us would subscribe to the argument that they should be properly armed and trained. Therefore it is hoped that residents of Manorbier would just sacrifice a little of their idilic area just for short periods to allow this to happen.