Commons query over Army ranges

12.00.00am GMT Wed 27th Jan 2010

The Government is being quizzed by Colchester MP Bob Russell as to whether there are plans to make any part of the Middlewick Firing Ranges surplus to requirements - leading to the possible sale of the land for residential development.

Mr Russell expressed his concerns yesterday (Tuesday) at a Planning Inquiry at the Town Hall when he suggested that there may be another agenda by the Ministry of Defence to their request to divert a Public Footpath across Middlewick which will be necessary if a security fence around the Firing Ranges is erected, for which planning consent has been granted.

Today a Parliamentary Question, Tabled by Mr Russell, has been published in the Order Paper. It asks the Secretary of State for Defence, the Rt Hon Bob Ainsworth MP, "what plans he has to declare any part of Middlewick Ranges, Colchester Garrison, surplus to military requirements."

He pointed out that twice in recent years the Ministry of Defence had come forward with proposals to develop the area of Middlewick nearest to Abbot's Road and Mersea Road, firstly for the erection of barracks and later for a concrete crushing plant. Neither proposal was pursued, but Mr Russell is concerned that the land remains very much under threat of development.

"We have only to look around Colchester to see how much new housing is being built with the loss of so much open space. The Ministry of Defence has disposed of land off Berechurch Road and Berechurch Hall Road, which makes me concerned about the MOD land fronting Abbot's Road and Mersea Road."

Mr Russell added: "I am hoping that the Written Answer will be that there are no such plans. What my Question seeks to achieve is to flush out into the open any secret plans which some people within the MOD may have to dispose of this part of Middlewick. If there are any, the community needs to be told. If there are none, which is my hope, then it puts down a firm marker that this precious area of open space at Middlewick must not be built on."

At the Inquiry Mr Russell suggested that the MOD should hand over to Colchester Borough the area of Middlewick nearest to Abbot's Road and Mersea Road so that it could become an official public open space in the same way as the High Woods and Cymbeline Meadows Country Parks, Gosbecks Archaeological Park and Hilly Fields.