Tremors from MoD ranges is 'making our lives a misery' (From Clacton and Frinton Gazette)

Tremors from MoD ranges is 'making our lives a misery'

9:24am Tuesday 29th December 2009

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RESIDENTS who say tremors from a military range are making their lives a misery are being backed by their MP.

People in Jaywick and Clacton have launched a campaign urging residents to bombard the Ministry of Defence site, in Shoeburyness, with complaints.

They claim shockwaves from explosions at the base, which is about 20 miles away over the sea, rock their homes.

Kenneth Bennett, of Crossways, Jaywick, asked Clacton MP Douglas Carswell for help.

The Conservative politician has been pushing ministers to review rules allowing private firms to destroy munitions at the facility.

Mr Carswell said: “The price of them doing so is paid for by the local residents who are continually disturbed by explosions.

“They claim this is done in order to help our Armed Forces. If that were the case, I would be a lot more reluctant to criticise it.

“The reality is it is a private company – QinetiQ – which is profiting from these exercises and it’s really their interests rather than those of the Armed Forces at stake here.”

Mr Carswell said he would continue to lobby for change.

He has also written to QinetiQ, which runs the range at Shoeburyness.

QinetiQ says the facility provides “critical training”" for the Armed Forces so it can dispose of lethal explosives in war zones, and says noise levels at Shoeburyness are monitored.

l To register complaints, call QinetiQ on 0845 3003147.

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