VILLAGERS felt 'insulted' by consultant's claims that there would be less noise and traffic as the result of a permanent road closure through an SAS camp.

Planning consultants GVA held a public consultation event in Ewyas Harold Village Hall last week when claims were made that the road closure between Ewyas

Harold and Wormbridge would reduce traffic though the village, reduce noise pollution and would stop a 'rat run'.

However, residents acted angrily to this statement with many claiming that the biggest noise pollution in the area came from the Ministry of Defence

(MoD) camp itself.

"What the MoD says everybody jumps to and it's wrong," said local resident William Jones.

"The notice here says that the closure will reduce traffic through the village, where I live it will cause me to go through the village as I always use that road. The road closure will cause more noise too as it will allow extra military explosions and manoeuvres in the camp.

"We have helicopters flying directly over our house from first thing in the morning until sometimes late at night and there is no real timetable to it.

"We also have health and safety fears of what would happen if something or somebody fell off these helicopters into our garden. Helicopters come past with people leaning out of them.

"We have come to this consultation and nobody is here to answer any questions from the MoD, all we got was a PR company. In the last 10 years there has been more and more activity in the camp and that road has been left in a state of disrepair over the last few years to discourage people from using it.

"The closure is already done and dusted this was just our opportunity to have our say. A lot of people who don't live here are patriotic but when you're living next to it 24 hours a day and you have to adjust your life for them you wonder who are they protecting."

Another resident who doesn't want to be named labelled the information boards amateurish and said that the consultant's claims were 'fictitious and insulted his intelligence'.

Ewyas Harold Parish Council, Chairman Peter Jinman said that the local community would need to be compensated for the inconvenience caused by the road closure.

He said: "There clearly are concerns from members of the local community in terms of inconvenience caused, access for emergency services and people who use that road to get to work in the emergency services.

"A major concern is also flooding and what will be done to tackle this. We will be asking what can they give back to the local community? and what demands from the local authority can be paid for by the MoD?

"The community have to be mindful of security issues but what is unclear is what has specifically changed."

The MoD said they will apply for a road closure order based on "security" reasons.

A leaflet issued to villagers by GVA, said: "In line with MoD endorsed improvements to existing infrastructure and the introduction of new infrastructure at PATA (Pontrilas Army Training Area), there is a defence requirement, based upon security, to close the adopted highway through the site."

An MoD spokesperson said: “The proposed improvements to Pontrilas Army Training Area represent a long term commitment to the local area but will require permanent closure of the road through the site.

"It is not appropriate to comment on specifics at this stage but any proposals will be taken forward in consultation with Herefordshire Council and will reflect the tone of existing infrastructure.”

A Hereford Times online poll found that 51 per cent supported the road closure, while 44 per cent opposed it.