Ivor Caplin MP
MINISTRY
OF DEFENCE
OLD WAR OFFICE BUILDING
WHITEHALL LONDON SW1A2EU
Telephone
(020) 7218 2216 (Direct Dialling)
(020) 7218 7610 (Fax)
(020) 7218 9000 (Switchboard)
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PARLIAMENTARY
UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR DEFENCE
AND MINISTER FOR VETERANS
7th April 2004
Robert
Key Esq MP
House
of Commons London
SW1A OAA
Thank you
for you letter of 9 March (reference: RK/SJA/Cons/BD) concerning
the potential adverse affects of private development on the
Ministry of Defence operations at Boscombe Down.
You will
recall that Lord Bach wrote to you on 8 March, in response
to your letter of 13 February enclosing correspondence
from Mr Maguire, one of your constituents. That letter explained
that the Boscombe Down Site was covered by normal MOD safeguarding
for airfield flying and explosives storage. Further, MOD
and QinetiQ were continuing to monitor the current applications
and MOD would respond to the District Council when required.
I
can assure you that this Department continues to monitor
the situation. However you will appreciate that once a
planning consent for development is granted, any subsequent
owners
or occupiers have the same rights as long established residents.
We are simply not in a position to register any form of
legal warning to new residents.
Although
it is proposed that the planning system is changed in the
current Bill passing through Parliament, MOD will
continue to provide comments to the plan making process
where required.
Clearly
there is always a balancing act between the requirements
of MOD and those of the local community. I know that
you recognise the value of the employment generated
in the
local community
from the MOD site at Boscombe. I look forward to your
continued support in working with the local planning
authority to
resist any intensification of development that would
impact on the
future use of the airfield by MOD.
I hope
that you find the above a helpful clarification.
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