PARC Against DARC, the campaign established to oppose the US military’s proposed DARC radar array in Pembrokeshire, has welcomed the decision by Siân Gwenllian MS, Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning to ‘call in’ the planning application for the proposed US military DARC radar array at Cawdor Barracks.
The group described the move as a ‘seismic and significant step’ in the right direction for the new Plaid Cymru-led Welsh Government.
Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning committee was set to take the decision at a meeting this month. but the Planning Minister has now intervened at the final hour following heavy lobbying efforts by the PARC campaign.
The campaign had previously been lobbying the Welsh Government to call in the application and had identified several key reasons why this should happen.
Now, Mr Tufnell has had his say on the latest development, stating: “I am deeply disappointed by the Welsh Government taking the DARC radar decision away from Pembrokeshire County Council.
“Decisions that directly impact local jobs and economic development must be made by our local community, not ministers in Cardiff.
“This is a clear move from Plaid Cymru to weaken the UK’s security and alliances, and in doing so, will harm local jobs, economic development, and our county’s proud culture in defence.
“I am disappointed by this interference. This decision-making power must be returned to our council immediately,” he added.
Following the news, a PARC spokesperson stated: “DARC is a proposal for a huge 27-dish radar array overlooking the St Davids Peninsula of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. The National Park Authority has objected to the scheme because of its unacceptable adverse visual impact, the damage it would cause to tourism and the harm it would do to a nationally important landscape. Natural Resources Wales agrees with that assessment.
“Siân Gwenllian has made the right decision here, and DARC is far from a typical infrastructure project. Its national and international scope and implications means it raises issues that go well beyond the local planning process, demanding consideration at Welsh Government level.”
The Cabinet Minister’s letter to Pembrokeshire County Council calling in the application details the following factors in calling in the proposal:
• The proposed development raises national security issues given the strategic defence nature of the proposal and is a novel planning issue.
• The proposal potentially conflicts with national policy in relation to landscape, ecology, sustainability and placemaking.
• A decision on the proposal may be controversial beyond the immediate locality, and there is already considerable public interest in the proposal.
In a jubilant public announcement to their campaign supporters PARC quipped: “DARC radar is officially no longer in the hands of Pembrokeshire County Council Planning Committee, and is in a suitcase, being carried by men in dystopian astronaut-style suits, and on its way to Welsh Government, to be, rightfully, decided at the very highest level of planning authority in Wales.”
Plaid Cymru has also played a central role in political opposition. A statement of opinion against DARC has been tabled by Plaid, as has a Westminster Early Day Motion calling for DARC to be scrapped. There was also a unanimous vote at the 2024 Plaid Cymru conference committing the party to taking action to oppose the proposal.
A spokesperson for the campiagn group continued: “This is why we strongly welcome the new Welsh Government’s wise decision to listen to those voices and we are very pleased that they have answered PARC’s request to call in the DARC planning application.”
“Our national parks should not be sacrificed to military expansion. Our communities should not be ignored when they speak with such a clear and overwhelming voice. Wales should not be expected simply to accept the strategic priorities of foreign governments without question.”
As the stage is now set for a Wales vs. Westminster showdown, campaigners state that the planned demonstration to be held outside Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning meeting at Coungty Hall, Haverfordwest on Tuesday, July 28 at 9am will go ahead as a vigil in support of Welsh Government’s call-in decision.
A spokesperson for Pembrokeshire County Council said the call-in had been received on July 21.
“As such the application is transferred to the Welsh Ministers for a decision and the application will no longer be presented to the council’s planning committee at its meeting scheduled for July 28.
“The council now awaits confirmation from the Welsh Ministers regarding the procedure and timetable that will be adopted for their consideration of the application.
“Further information will be provided once the council has been formally notified of the next steps in the decision-making process.”
Comments
This article has no comments yet. Be the first to leave a comment.