MOD Planning application for Night Firing at Manorbier

Manorbier is a small coastal village in Pembrokeshire, situated halfway between Tenby and Pemboke. The village is the home to the Manorbier Air Defence Range which is used for the training military personnel in the use of High Velocity Missiles(HVM).

The missile concerned is the Starstreak. The missile consists of a two-stage solid propellant rocket motor, a separation system and three high density darts. A pulse of power from the missile firing unit causes the first-stage motor to ignite, which accelerates the missile. Canted nozzles on the missile cause it to roll. The centrifugal force of the roll causes the fins to unfold for aerodynamic stability in flight. Once clear of the canister, the motor is jettisoned. The second-stage motor ignites and accelerates the missile to a velocity greater than Mach 4. A separation system at the front end of the motor contains three darts.

This missile make a treamendous noise when launched!!

Until now this missile was only used during daylight hours, but recently the MOD have submitted an application to the planning authority to fire after dark (nominally up to 11pm but this could overrun until much later).

This application has provoked a considerable amount of local opposition.

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(From the Tenby Observer 13/01/06)

Manorbier Community Council and the campaign group. No! to the Manorbier Missile Campaign! are calling for Pembrokeshire Coast National Park to appoint their own noise monitoring consultant to carry out tests into a proposal by the MOD to allow night firing at the village's artillery range. Prior to a meeting on Tuesday night, councillors listened to representations from members of the public and heard letters of objection and arguments against the proposal by the MOD to commence firing during the hours of darkness. Councillors were then invited to make comments about the proposal before taking a vote on the controversial issue. Eight out of the nine councillors eligible to vote stated they were opposed to the night firing application for various reasons.

"Some councillors commented that they were not personally opposed, but were mindful of the strength of feeling within the community, and were doing their duty in representing the community and not their own personal feelings," said campaigner Chas Cochrane.

He continued: "County councillor Malcolm Calver abstained from the vote, declaring an interest. "Council members then decided on the best way forward and voted to request a deferment and that Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority commission its own noise monitoring consultant, as it was claimed the MOD noise appraisal was found to be fundamentally flawed and presented in a manner favouring the MOD, adding the PCNPA must not rely on these figures. "Additionally, councillors requested a site meeting with the PCNPA when the MOD are firing, this meeting to take place outside the range, possibly at the Youth Hostel, Lydstep, and Skrinkle estate locations." Mr. Cochrane added: "It was demonstrated by members of the public that this was an intensification of the range, as missiles have never been fired during the hours of darkness and therefore contravenes Tan 11 and PCNPA policy guidelines. "Prior to the meeting, members of the public and the pressure group reiterated that they fully support training of British troops, but that this must take place at the alternative site available where there is no impact on the local community and no restrictions on firing during the hours of darkness.
"Other members demonstrated that low flying helicopters are a disaster to the bird population, especially skylarks, as stated in the MOD'S own environmental magazine. "Again, this was contrary to what the MOD scoping document and appraisal has stated."

He concluded: "It was also pointed out to the community council that the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority would leave itself open to a legal challenge and a possible judicial review if it did not commission an independent noise assessment.

"Manorbier Community Council and members of the pressure group are now awaiting a response from the National Park Authority's planning officers."

Footnote: Night firing at the artillery range also came under the spotlight at a packed public meeting last Thursday. At that meeting. Range Commandant Major Blaize Warburton insisted that it was essential that troops were trained to use night vision equipment.

However, he gave an assurance that the army's application would not increase the overall number of firings at the range, as it would cut back on daylight exercises. He would be requesting a two-year trial to allow the community to assess the impact. A maximum of five missiles would be fired on any night and exercises would be cut off at 10 pm in the winter
and 11 pm in the summer.

Concern was expressed, however, about the detrimental effect on the county's tourism industry and the sleeping patterns of children in the area.

Pembrokeshire Coast National Park is due to meet on January 25 to discuss the MOD'S application.

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