MP's fears for future of Wick

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 10th May 2007

Green area with trees

Colchester MP Bob Russell has raised concerns that there may be a hidden agenda behind the planning application to erect a security fence at the Army's Middlewick Firing Range - one which he fears could lead to the area of Wick fronting Abbot's Road and Mersea Road later being made available for residential development.

The Ministry of Defence has submitted a planning application to Colchester Borough Council to erect a fence near to where the area used for firing practice takes place, leaving a large area outside the fence. There has been considerable public opposition to the proposals.

And today Mr Russell revealed that he had written to Colchester Borough Council to question whether there may be a hidden agenda behind the application.

"It is not that long ago that an application was made to use part of Middlewick Ranges, on the corner of Abbot's Road and Mersea Road, for a concrete crushing recycling plant. This was refused following huge public opposition.

"I question whether there are those within the Ministry of Defence Estates Department who perhaps have another agenda for this part of Middlewick. Following the erection of the proposed security fence, if in due course the MOD claimed this area was surplus to military requirements then my fear is that attempts would be made to make it available for residential development."

Mr Russell acknowledged that the Army had a duty of care for those who use land and property for which they are responsible, but he said the actions of a few causing damage should not be allowed to discriminate against the majority. Before agreeing to a security fence being erected, he urged the Council to discuss with the MOD how improvements could be made to prevent any further acts of vandalism.

In his letter to the Council's Head of Planning, Ms Nicola George, Mr Russell suggested that if the Council was to approve the application for the security fence "then I suggest that it does so only on a proviso that the land 'outside the wire' is transferred to the ownership of Colchester Borough Council to be used for public open space purposes."

He added: "If the sole purpose of the application is that as stated, then the Ministry of Defence should be quite content to release land - transferring public ownership from the MOD to public ownership of the council - which the MOD will otherwise still have to maintain and for which in planning zone use terms there is no development envisaged.

"A reluctance to agree to this would perhaps indicate that there is indeed a secret agenda behind the 'security fence' application."