Nesscliffe Training Area

The Nesscliffe Training Area is a military training facility located near Nesscliffe in Shropshire.

Nesscliffe Training Area
Nesscliffe, Shropshire
Part of the Nesscliffe training area
Site information
Type	Training area
Owner	Ministry of Defence
Operator	British Army
Location
Nesscliffe Training Area Location within Shropshire
Coordinates	52.76987°N 2.94283°W / 52.76987; -2.94283
Site history
Built	1961
Built for	War Office
In use	1961-Present
Airfield information
Helipads Number Length and surface 1 23 metres (75 ft) Concrete 2 23 metres (75 ft) Concrete 3 23 metres (75 ft) Concrete 4 23 metres (75 ft) Concrete 5 23 metres (75 ft) Concrete

History

The training area is located on and around the former Central Ammunition Depot at Nesscliffe.^[1] The CAD was fed from the Shropshire and Montgomeryshire Railway which ran through the camp and the training area. The railway was taken over by the War Department in 1940.^[2]

Since 1961, the 1,681 acres (680 ha) of flat pastureland form the British Army's Nesscliffe training area (NTA), capable of accommodation up to 530 personnel.^[3] The bunkers once used to house ammunition are still used as of 2014^[update] in training exercises. As well as Regular and Reserve troops, Nesscliffe is used extensively by local CCF and ACF units.

The NTA is also used constantly through the year by helicopters from the Defence Helicopter Flying School at RAF Shawbury for training pilots and crew.^[4]

Despite the name of the nearby village, officials at the Ministry of Defence spell the camp and training area Nesscliff.^[5][6]