Mike, please see the response below, from the Unit, in relation to the planning application comments.

 

Regards

 

Paul

 

 

 

Hi Paul,

 

In terms of the point on “resulting in a significant additional impact on local residents”.

 

The frequency of use for that part of the site will remain very similar to the past and current activity levels.

 

The site is used to play 5 a side football, hockey, volley ball and to conduct outdoor physical training activity by members of staff, predominantly during daylight hours and fair weather in the summer months.  It is also used by the recruiting staff to conduct routine endurance assessments and to set up command and leadership tasks.  There will be no spectator involvement and any noisy exuberance which might be considered as a nuisance  to residents would be hardly noticeable, as I assume it has always been in the past.  

 

We do routinely use the Drill Square adjacent to this site to conduct physical training activity and to deliver driver training during the working day, it is also used as an emergency Helicopter landing Site (HLS) and quite frequently receives aircraft on training flights from around the UK.

 

Currently our soldiers are exercising and training on grass and rain sodden earth.  This application is being made to upgrade the standard of the facilities and to offer a wider opportunity for conducting physical and recreational training in a much more amenable and safer environment.  Should it not be granted on the basis of noise and nuisance, I can confirm that we will continue to conduct our training in that very same location to the levels we have previously, which to the best of my knowledge; have never given reason for complaint in the past.

 

This planning application is being proposed to provide a facility to be used for the good and benefit of all Military occupants of the site, we are a professional and disciplined organisation who conduct ourselves to the highest of standards, both in and out of camp. Any inappropriate comment or activity shown on the part of our soldiers and cadets is treated with the utmost of seriousness and acted on immediately.  Likewise any complaint or expression of dissatisfaction shown by our neighbours and or any other member of the community is investigated thoroughly.    

 

Regards and hope this is along the lines of what you require.

 

Phil