Shooting range green lit after council dawdles over decision
- Published
The council deferred a decision on the plans but none was made in time
Plans for a clay pigeon shooting range have been given the green light because a council was too slow to make a decision.
Proposals for a five hectare (12.3 acre) site near Pantgwyn Farm, in Whitemill, Carmarthenshire, were discussed by Carmarthenshire County Council back in August 2021.
The decision was deferred for a site visit but none was made in time.
A Welsh government inspector has now ruled in the applicants' favour.
There were almost 70 objections to the scheme including about noise, rights of way and biodiversity, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. The monitoring of activities was also questioned.
One objector said: "Residents should not need to feel confined to the interior of their own homes for two days of every week to satisfy the needs of a new business venture."
There were three letters of support. The applicants said they'd been overwhelmed by interest in the venture.
Their application said there would be no more than one event a day and no more than 75 days of shooting each year.
The planning inspector concluded the scheme would not significantly harm residents' way of life.
They added that proposed safety measures should improve protection for walkers, saying: "While more shooting days may make this route a less desirable option for some walkers, shooting activities are not untypical in rural locations."
Conditions to the consent include no more than eight people can take part in a shoot and that they are limited to two days a week and never at weekends or bank holidays.
Clay pigeon shooting, fishing and deer management courses can happen on no more than 150 days per year.
Of these, no more than 75 days may involve clay pigeon shooting.
Carmarthenshire County Council has been approached for comment.
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