PUBLIC access to the moor is likely to become the central issue in the debate around whether the military is granted a renewed licence to train on Dartmoor. That was the forecast of commandant of Dartmoor Training Area Col Tony Clark as a wide range of users and individuals interested in the moor shared their views with the military. The MOD's principal licence to train on Dartmoor expires in 2012. As part of the consultation process prior to renegotiation, two exhibitions were held in West Devon to give people the chance to have a say. Around 140 people visited Tavistock Town Hall on Monday of last week and the next day the exhibition moved to the Museum of Dartmoor Life in Okehampton. Col Clark said: 'We have had an interesting and well informed group of people and we have been involved in an open and frank dialogue. 'We have heard views that have ranged from those who don't believe the military should be on Dartmoor at all, to those who think public access is paramount, to those who fully support our use of the terrain for the training of Royal Marines who are now deployed in places such as Afghanistan and Sierra Leone.' Col Clark said around 40% of the training which took place was for the Royal Marines, who had a number of bases located close to the moor. The exhibition gave people a chance to comment on what had been included and left out of the scoping report published by the MoD, which describes the issues to be researched and the methodology to be using during the forthcoming Environmental Appraisal to be carried out next year, before the application is handed to the Government in 2008. Col Clark said the military now did far more to manage its environmental responsibilities on the moor than it had 30 years ago and worked together with commoners, farmers and others to ensure the national park was conserved and its character retained. He said: 'We are engaging in a lively debate. We will be listening to people to try and achieve what is actually best for Dartmoor.' MoD staff and land agents were available throughout the exhibition to answer questions and listen to concerns. John Lock, Defence Estates land agent, said an example of the way people were raising concerns at these meetings which the military may not even have thought about, were those of horse riders who used Dartmoor. 'A horse rider in Tavistock asked if we could introduce a system to enable riders to know if the military were on the moor, because sometimes horses are startled by their presence, not by live firing obviously, but just by a group of men on exercises suddenly standing up.' Mr Lock added the process was about being good neighbours and taking on board points raised by the public. The public have until November 15 to comment prior to the finalising of the scope of the environmental appraisal. Further information about the full process in relation to the licence are available on the website http://www.dartmoor-ranges.co.uk">www.dartmoor-ranges.co.uk