Ballykinlar army camp plans

Ballykinlar army camp plans

15 October 2014

THE army’s links to east Down will be dramatically scaled back next month when a private company takes control of Ballykinlar military base.

The army has completely pulled out of the Lecale complex and it will now be managed by the private firm as a training facility for the army and for the emergency services. The extensive base is still owned by the Ministry of Defence.

The last battalion based at Ballykinlar, 2 Rifles, moved to Thiepval Barracks in Lisburn earlier this year and in the months since the transfer the army has been removing its equipment out of the base in preparation for the hand over.

The traditional heavy security around the base is being maintained, but aside from those guarding the base there are few personnel currently located at the camp.

It is believed the private company will seek to generate as much money from the base as possible by charging organisations which use the base for training or shooting clubs which use the extensive ranges.

The most recent training exercise was held in the base on October 4-5 when the Fire and Rescue Service staged a series of simulated incidents to train firefighters in a number of skills. During the weekend a joint exercise was mounted with the Coastguard, Irish Coastguard, RNLI and St. John’s Ambulance.

The base has extensive training facilities such as a bogus village known as New Town which is used for riot control training; a football stadium to allow the training of police officers in crowd control problems at sporting events; a large three-story building and farm buildings which are used by the Fire Service for simulated exercises and a series of ranges for live fire training.

There are also extensive sporting facilities at the base including an 18-hole golf course, a rugby pitch, cricket pitch, swimming pool, indoor five-a-side hall as well as other facilities which were used when battalions were based in Ballykinlar.

There is growing support for Ballykinlar to be the location for the new Northern Ireland Community Safety College — a training facility for the PSNI, Fire and Rescue Service and the Prison Service.

Plans have long been in the pipeline to construct the facility at Desertcreat, in Co. Tyrone, but the project has been bedevilled by funding problems and some senior PSNI officers believe the Desertcreat proposal is looking extremely unlikely. It is believed Ballykinlar is still up for consideration as a location for the College, primarily because it will cost much less to develop.

An army spokesman said Ballykinlar is and will remain a vitally important location for military training for troops in Northern Ireland engaged in operations and missions worldwide.

“It will also continue unchanged as a key training area for emergency services as well as maintaining links and access for local sports shooting clubs,” he said.

“Some elements of day to day management are being outsourced in line with Defence policy to make best use of the public purse.

“Over and beyond the well used ranges and training grounds the infrastructure that is available is flexible and consideration is being given to best use and best practice.”