Dartmoor Training Area

Dartmoor Steering Group Overview

Dartmoor Steering Group Meeting Minutes

Dartmoor Steering Group Overview

The Dartmoor Steering Group and its Working Party were formed in 1977 on the instructions of the Secretaries of State for Defence and Environment on the recommendation of Lady Sharpe, who had conducted a non statutory public inquiry into the military use of Dartmoor.

The purpose of the Dartmoor Steering Group is to resolve potential conflicts between military training and the National Park purposes. Its members include representatives of Commander 43 Wessex Brigade and Commandant Commando Training Centre Royal Marines, Defence Estates, Dartmoor National Park Authority, Dartmoor Commoners Council, Duchy of Cornwall, English Heritage, Government Office of the South West and Natural England.

The Dartmoor Steering Group is supported by the Dartmoor Working Party. Its purpose is to research issues as directed by the Chairmen, to resolve matters passed to them and to carry out day to day management of the Group’s responsibilities. The alternating chairmen of the Dartmoor Working Party (and also joint secretaries of the Dartmoor Steering Group, are Commander Defence Training Estate South West and the Dartmoor National Park Authority’s Chief Executive. Members include the Commandant Dartmoor Training Area, the Defence Estate’s Senior Land Agent South West, the Duchy of Cornwall, the Senior National Park Ranger, Natural England and English Heritage.

The Dartmoor Steering Group meets annually and since 2007 has published Minutes of its Meetings and its reports to the Secretaries of State for Defence and the Environment. These are also published on the Dartmoor National Park Authority web site.

The DSG decided in October 2008 that previous Reports be published on both the Dartmoor Training Area and Dartmoor National Park Authority websites. Scanning and re-typing the originals is underway, with the intention of completing the work by Christmas 2008.