SIX hundred and fifty postcards calling for an end to the military use of Cramber Tor on Dartmoor for battle training have been sent to the Dartmoor National Park Authority.

The Dartmoor Preservation Association campaign urges members to send a postcard to the authority to register their official objection to army use of Cramber Tor.

The Ministry of Defence is in the process of producing an Environmental Impact Assessment for Dartmoor National Park Authority which will hold a planning consultation to consider the renewal of army use. The MoD has already been granted a temporary extension to use Cramber Tor until a more comprehensive review is carried out.

The army has used the 3,000 acres of moorland north-east of Burrator Reservoir for dry training — not using live ammunition — for more than 20 years, following the Sharp Inquiry.

'The Dartmoor Preservation Association is not in any way anti-military, nor are we opposed to

military training in the right place,' states the latest DPA action bulletin. 'But we believe that Cramber Tor is the wrong place and that there is no proven need for its continued use.

'All we ask of the Ministry of Defence is that they have the courage of their convictions and that they come to a democratic forum where the facts and figures can be properly examined — just as any other major developer would have to do within the boundary of the Dartmoor National Park,' states the DPA.

However, Lt Col Tony Clark said the military was putting its case in a fully democratic manner. 'The allegation that we are not following democratic processes is not true. We have gone further than that, and have told the National Park we want to carry out a proper environmental impact assessment.' He said a full environmental assessment would look thoroughly at all the issues relating to army use of the moorland area.

Lt Col Clark said there were a number of factors which made Cramber Tor a useful site for the military. He said it was close to Plymouth, provided dry training in close proximity, and was suitable for low level tactics and larger tactical training.

Lt Col Clark said the moor provided 'essential training for the armed forces', particularly those based in the South West, and its importance had recently been demonstrated. 'We have just seen the Royal Marines coming back from Afghanistan where they were patrolling the streets of Kabul. They were trained on Dartmoor and on Cramber Tor'.

The DPA asks all its members to return the postcard with a pre-printed message objecting to the military use of Carmber Tor to the Dartmoor National Park Authority. The DPA is also asking members to write expressing their views to South West Water which owns Cramber Tor.

A postcard was sent to each of the 2,500 members of the DPA, along with the group's action bulletin three weeks ago.

The DPA says it has had several requests for more postcards and is expecting more people to register their opposition in the coming months.