6.90.269.A CROWND: extension to American Post Office:

Justification: 'Purpose:...to provide additional space for the American Post Office to process mail more efficiently and to provide additional mail boxes due to an increase in personnel numbers on the Base.

The post boxes are for US personnel mail collection - there is no house-to-house delivery on station and many of them live off base. There are currently c.1600 boxes - not all in use in 1993.

I have a copy of the plan. The number of post boxes is c. 2/3rds bigger. i.e. c. 1000 additional boxes.

6.90.171.B CROWND: erection of new main gate

6.90.171.C CROWND: installation of new road barriers, provision of 1 no. additional barrier, new guard hut and additional security enclosures to main gate:

The proposal is to create a three-lane entrance at main gate so that they can use 2 lanes in and 1 out or vice versa depending on the heavy flow. The new slip road outside, E of main gate, is part of this development.

6.500.F. CROWND: erection of 6 no. 10m high towers to provide public address system:

Justification: 'Project requirement: the Station wide Public Address System will enable the base personnel to be quickly notified in an emergency situation or during exercises.' (Could be fun!)

Locations:1. adjacent to NW corner of building 32: 2. NE of house 123: 3. in the wood SE of house 215: 4. SE corner of building 47: 5. OPs car park S of entrance to Steeplebush 11: 6. E of 36R.

6.90.137.G CROWND: erection of kindergarten to middle/high school:

This is a substantial development at the school. (Is it another security measure?)

Four Parish Councils were consulted. Only Felliscliffe raised objection. They are having difficulty maintaining the viability of their village school. Provision of facilities on the base will reduce their intake (said to be eight US children in school).

In 1995, at the conference on MHS held in the Leeds Council Chamber (main speaker, Duncan Campbell), somebody raised objection to the base kids attending the local schools; said that Darley village school had a majority of US kids; complained that the ethos of the school was affected and questioned who paid for them to attend UK schools. It emerged that this was a racist objection to black kids. As it's a sensiitive issue we left it alone, but it may be worth pursuing the question of how the UK is reimbursed for the schooling. I believe the parents have to pay to send their kids to the base schools.

GT3 is being refurbished at present. The golf ball has been demolished and they are playing about with, but not replacing, the dish.

Police numbers have been considerably reduced for the past four weeks.