PARC AGAINST DARC has submitted an official request asking the new Welsh Government to call in the planning application for the proposed DARC radar array in Pembrokeshire.

The campaign group, which was set up in 2024 to oppose the US military-linked Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability project, says the decision is too significant to be left to Pembrokeshire County Council alone.

Campaigners say the development, proposed for Cawdor Barracks near Brawdy, would have national implications for Wales, the environment, tourism, the local economy and military strategy.

The request follows the appointment of Rhun ap Iorwerth as Wales’ new First Minister and the naming of Siân Gwenllian as Cabinet Secretary for Local Government, Housing and Planning.

PARC said the election of a Plaid Cymru-led Welsh Government marked “an extremely promising step forward” for the campaign, citing Plaid’s previous opposition to the scheme.

Planning decision

The Ministry of Defence submitted the planning application for the radar array to Pembrokeshire County Council in April.

The application is currently open for public comments, with the publicity period running until Wednesday (May 20).

The DARC project would involve the construction of 27 radar dishes close to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.

Campaigners have described the proposal as a “military monstrosity” and claim it would allow the United States to project military power into space from Welsh soil.

They also dispute claims that the scheme would bring major local employment benefits, saying the MOD’s own environmental information describes the number of jobs as “low” and “not significant”.

PARC argues that any limited job creation would be outweighed by the removal of hundreds of personnel from Cawdor Barracks.

‘Call it in’

The campaign says the Welsh Government should take over the decision because of the scale and significance of the proposal.

In its request, PARC argues that DARC is “clearly a nationally significant development” and should be considered in the wider context of Wales’ national priorities.

The group is urging members of the public to use its online tool to ask Welsh ministers to call in the application.

PARC said: “We are thrilled that Plaid Cymru, an anti-DARC government, has taken the reins in Cardiff.

“The election of the new Welsh Government is a huge and seismic development from our perspective.

“Today, as we submit our official call-in request to the newly formed Welsh administration, we know that as we fight to save our precious St Davids peninsula from being turned into a massive military target, we do so in the knowledge that the party in control of Wales has a proud and strong history of standing up for the people of Wales and standing for peace.”

Public opposition

PARC says public opposition remains overwhelming.

The campaign claims that an updated MOD consultation summary shows 498 public responses were received, with 401 using PARC’s template objection email and the remaining summarised comments also appearing to oppose the scheme.

The group says it is preparing a 150,000-word planning objection, covering visual, economic, military, strategic and consultation concerns.

Campaigners also point to protests, widespread media coverage and a petition with around 19,000 signatures opposing the project.

Plaid Cymru figures have previously spoken against DARC.

In April 2024, Cefin Campbell tabled a statement of opinion in the Senedd opposing the proposal, while Plaid Westminster leader Liz Saville-Roberts later submitted an Early Day Motion at Westminster.

Mr Campbell said at the time: “Plaid Cymru has a long and honourable history of promoting peace around the globe and opposing militarism at every level.

“We cannot therefore support the construction of DARC and give space to American militarism on our land.”

PARC said the campaign was “still far from won” but had taken “a huge step change in the right direction” following the election result.

THE MOD has submitted a formal planning application for the controversial DARC space radar scheme at Cawdor Barracks near Brawdy.

The Ministry of Defence wants to install 27 radar antennas and associated infrastructure at the former RAF site as part of the Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability, known as DARC.

The project would form part of a global network of sensors across the UK, USA and Australia under the AUKUS defence partnership.

The system is designed to track satellites, space debris and other objects in orbit, providing 360-degree coverage of the sky in all weather conditions and at all times of day.

Cawdor Barracks was named as the preferred UK site in late 2023 by the then Defence Secretary Grant Shapps.

A supporting statement submitted with the application says the scheme would improve the UK’s ability to detect, identify and track objects in Earth orbit.

It states: “This capability is critical to protect and defend the services provided by satellites, ensuring continuity and resilience against collisions or debris-related incidents.”

The document also says the loss of GPS services alone could cost the UK an estimated £1.422 billion per day.

The application says the scheme would create around 90 full-time equivalent construction jobs and 60 full-time equivalent operational jobs, including maintenance and security roles.

The MoD says the project would help protect critical national infrastructure in orbit and provide data to UK Government departments, the Met Office and the UK Space Agency.

However, the plans remain controversial locally.

St Davids City Council recently voted unanimously to oppose the pre-application consultation proposals.

Objectors have raised concerns about the impact of the development, with protests taking place outside Cawdor Barracks and County Hall in Haverfordwest.

Labour Senedd candidate Eluned Morgan has also called for the scheme to be put on hold while Donald Trump is President of the United States.

Pembrokeshire County Council will now consider the application.

A MAJOR new childcare support scheme for Armed Forces families will be rolled out across Wales from September 2026, the UK Government has announced.

The initiative is expected to save eligible families up to £6,000 per child each year, providing a significant boost to household finances amid ongoing cost-of-living pressures.

The scheme will be delivered through the Ministry of Defence’s existing Early Years childcare reimbursement system and will bring Wales in line with the level of support already available to forces families in England.

Ministers say the move is part of a wider effort to improve recruitment and retention in the Armed Forces, with childcare costs identified as a key pressure affecting morale.

The new support will cover children from nine months old until they reach three years of age in Wales and Scotland, and up to four years old in Northern Ireland.

Defence Secretary John Healey MP announced the scheme during a visit to Dreghorn Barracks in Edinburgh.

He said: “Our Armed Forces families are at the heart of our nation’s security. As the demands on defence increase, it is right that we step up our support for those who serve.

“This offer will ensure more military families get the childcare support they need, wherever they are posted.”

Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens added: “Service families in Wales make huge sacrifices and deserve the best possible support.

“They contribute not only to our national security but also to the Welsh economy. This scheme delivers meaningful help with the cost of childcare.”

The scheme will reimburse the difference in early years childcare costs for eligible working families. To qualify, both parents must be in employment and meet the income thresholds required for a Tax-Free Childcare account.

Hundreds of families across Wales are expected to benefit.

The announcement forms part of a broader package of support introduced since July 2024, including improved military housing, the largest Armed Forces pay rise in two decades, and plans to strengthen the Armed Forces Covenant in law.

Further details will be provided in the coming months, with families encouraged to begin considering childcare arrangements ahead of the scheme’s launch.