Residents oppose application to increase number of days for clay pigeon shooting in village near Grantham
A planning application has been submitted to increase the days that clay pigeon shooting is allowed at a Stubton site.
Brandon Wood Clay Shooting is applying for use of the shooting ground for up to 150 days per annum, much to the dismay of a local residents association.
Mark Crane has owned the Brandon Wood Clay Shoot since 2017.
The application said: “This application seeks an increase in shooting days to 150, and is accompanied by additional noise testing and assessment that demonstrates that the increased number of shooting days can be accommodated subject to controls capable of being the subject of planning conditions.
“The principle of the clay pigeon shooting use is well established and permanent. The bunding around the site perimeter and the established planting around it serve to contain and absorb noise from the shooting activity.
“The accompanying noise assessment, which is a completely new assessment prepared by new acoustic consultants, demonstrates that the use can operate without adverse or detrimental impacts.
“Subject to appropriate conditions, it is considered that use of the site for 150 days per annum is acceptable in planning terms.”
A Fenton resident, Dave Rawlings, is the chairman of an informal residents association that is opposing the application. He said: “Our remit has always been to the clay pigeon shoot. We keep an eye on the activity of the shoot and liaise with SKDC when they have breached their planning permission.
“Predominantly, the noise is the issue. It is extremely loud and intrusive for local residents. The vegetation and ground nearby are heavily polluted with lead shot. The level of lead contamination is extraordinary.”
The application site was originally granted planning permission for clay pigeon shooting use in 1995. A previous application to permanently increase the number of shooting days to 120 days was made in 2011 A more recent planning application for 120 shooting days was refused planning permission in October 2018.
Mr Rawlings added: “The association would like to see the time frame of shoots remain at 50 days per year. That was the compromise in 1995. 50 days and 55 decibels. We can live with that.”
