Military Training On Dartmoor Till 2033

The Government has decided that military training can continue in parts of the  Dartmoor National Park until 2033 to the dismay of the Campaign for National Parks, the charity which campaigns to protect and promote National Parks.

The decision - that the current 21-year licence, granted by the Duchy of Cornwall as landowner and due to expire in 2012, can be renewed for a further 21 years - says the body, means that some of the most beautiful areas of Dartmoor will be closed to the public for a significant part of the year thanks to training with live ammunition.


Acting Chief Executive of the Campaign for National Parks Ruth Chambers comments:

“There is no doubt that our Armed Forces need the best possible preparation for battle and other deployments.  However, the extent to which this essential need should be met by use of the rugged terrain and tranquil environments of our National Parks has never been subject to independent scrutiny and now, at least for Dartmoor, appears to be out of bounds for discussion until 2033."

She went on to point out that changes in military commitments between now and the expiry date of the new licence could totally change training requirements, yet there appears to be no mechanism in place to reduce "the risk of locking Dartmoor into a future of military training from which it will be difficult to escape”.

She concludes by saying:

"We now urge Ministers to think beyond this current decision and establish a new process to explore how training requirements can be met in the long term without compromising our finest landscapes”.

More about the Campaign for National Parks at www.cnp.org.uk