Sir,

I write in connection with Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Planning Committee decision to trial after-dark firing at Manorbier and the letter in your 'paper from a local resident criticising that decision as a foregone conclusion.

The evidence to the planning committee by Mrs. Milner was, I felt, both informative and even- handed. The decision to grant or not was left solely in the hands of those committee members who are elected in Pembrokeshire and those additional members appointed by the Welsh Assembly Government.

As the county councillor for the area, I had received representations both for and against the proposal and it would have been easy for me to sit on the fence, as most politicians seem to do today when confronted by a highly vocal group.

The concern of many of those against the proposal related to the flying of aircraft over the Manorbier range.

This aspect had no relevance to the application before the planning committee as this already has consent.

Such work is crucial both for military and civilian aircraft protection and I would suggest, by the amount of holidaymakers viewing the operations, is an obvious attraction, albeit to some of the local population an intrusion into their idyllic lifestyle.

The argument put forward by Erica Fielding, an employee of Pembrokeshire County Council, that after-dark firing would affect tourism is not shared by the largest tourism business in Pembrokeshire.

With probably half the available bed spaces in the area, Lydstep Holiday Village, which is situated between the Manorbier range and the Monks on Caldey, have as far as I am aware, made no representation of concerns or objections to the proposal.

I would suggest that the bad publicity, by some, in comparing Manorbier to a 'virtual war zone' has done more harm to those that are genuinely operating tourism businesses than the limited after-dark firing proposal.

I would urge those who were opposed to the application, to now accept the proposal to grant temporary consent for two years, which I proposed at the public meeting as the way forward. In an ideal world we would not require any armed services personnel, yet as we can all see by the conflicts and tensions all over the world, they are needed, and training has to be of the highest standard and in all conditions, to ensure their safety and effectiveness in operations.

The planning committee has now granted the application, so it is time now to show some tolerance and move on. Clr. Malcolm Calver, Manorbier.