Blackburn air gun club set to be given planning permission
7:00am Monday 17th September 2012 in News
AN AIRGUN club set up in countryside without planning permission looks set to be granted approval retrospectively.
The club, on agricultural land and woodland at Higher Whitehalgh Farm, Feniscowles, has previously been refused retrospective planning permission because of the visual impact on the area.
Blackburn Outdoor Airgun Club has three hides and a toilet, which have been built on the site underneath a tree canopy, as well as a gravelled car park.
Originally the hides were made out of profiled metal sheet painted in camouflage colours, which Blackburn with Darwen council said were not in keeping with the location.
However, since then they have been modified and are now clad in timber.
The application is now due to be approved on the condition that the owners submit a woodland management plan within three months of approval.
The club is for use of air guns only and they submit a landscape plan within three months of planning approval to provide screening along one side of the car park.
A report set to go before Blackburn wirth Darwen Council said: “The hides appearances have been significantly modified from the previous planning application and are now clad in timber. This is a natural material which is in keeping with the countryside location. The number of structures on the site has also been reduced through removal of a hut used for BBQ’S.”
But the proposal has received objections by a nearby resident and Livesey Parish Council, who claim that the club has spoiled the look of the countryside and that the land should be allowed to return to its natural state.
A letter of objection to the council said: “There is very little difference between this amended scheme and the original proposal which was refused.
“The set up of this type of club is aesthetically displeasing to the local surroundings. The chosen site is in an area of ancient woodland and a heritage site that should be protected.
“Noise from the area will be detrimental to the local surroundings.”
The application is set to be discussed at the council’s Planning and Highway Committee on Thursday at 6.30pm.
Comments(16)
airgunner1
says...
10:16am Mon 17 Sep 12
Our intention is to provide a safe and supervised enviroment in which people can use air guns,
johnleo
says...
10:30am Mon 17 Sep 12
airgunner1 wrote:Little boys with little toys.
The majority of air rifles are silenced. There are warning signs, and a club rule is to stop shooting when people are on the lane as a courtesy, although no air rifle is ever pointed toward the lane at any time. Our intention is to provide a safe and supervised enviroment in which people can use air guns,
district01
says...
11:14am Mon 17 Sep 12
sen c ble
says...
11:35am Mon 17 Sep 12
district01 wrote:You'll struggle hitting the bullseye 50m away, unless that is if I lend you my Umarex!
Go and get yourselves a dart board!
BuckoTheMoose
says...
1:47pm Mon 17 Sep 12
johnleo wrote:Why?
airgunner1 wrote:Little boys with little toys.
The majority of air rifles are silenced. There are warning signs, and a club rule is to stop shooting when people are on the lane as a courtesy, although no air rifle is ever pointed toward the lane at any time. Our intention is to provide a safe and supervised enviroment in which people can use air guns,
It's a hobby like any other
onlyonesimongarner
says...
2:12pm Mon 17 Sep 12
airgunner1 wrote:Not when I was there Cocker
The majority of air rifles are silenced. There are warning signs, and a club rule is to stop shooting when people are on the lane as a courtesy, although no air rifle is ever pointed toward the lane at any time.
Our intention is to provide a safe and supervised enviroment in which people can use air guns,
Old fogey
says...
4:03pm Mon 17 Sep 12
Sajdin
says...
5:32pm Mon 17 Sep 12
sen c ble
says...
7:49pm Mon 17 Sep 12
Sajdin wrote:To me it's a professional sport like archery. A good aim is a skill of the eye, thus training the brain. Like all things believe in discipline and live responsibly!
No wonder we have a small number of the population interested in offensive weapons !
Caravaggio
says...
8:01pm Mon 17 Sep 12
airgunner1
says...
8:19pm Mon 17 Sep 12
sen c ble wrote:It is indeed a professional sport, and an Olympic event.
Sajdin wrote:To me it's a professional sport like archery. A good aim is a skill of the eye, thus training the brain. Like all things believe in discipline and live responsibly!
No wonder we have a small number of the population interested in offensive weapons !
Graham Hartley
says...
1:47am Tue 18 Sep 12
woolywords
says...
6:25am Tue 18 Sep 12
The care, control and use of any weapon requires anyone to achieve a very high level of personal discipline that only comes with supervised practise. If this is done in the environ of a club then this can only be applauded.
Or would the reader prefer the antithesis of this, where someone is taking pot shots at either passers-by, neighbours pets or the local wildlife?
Old fogey
says...
10:02am Tue 18 Sep 12
woolywords wrote:Woolywords talks more sense than I have heard in a long time. We have all seen how attempted bans on handguns, knives to the under 18's and other weapons have just made things worse. So, the only answer has to be education, if people are taught that misuse of items is wrong (and it is not just guns and knives, I note a report of someone severely injured by a broken glass over the weekend) preferably from a young age, it may do a lot more good.
The level of ignorance of the sport of air weapon shooting in both the article and the subsequent comments is staggering. And not helped at all by those who participate.
The care, control and use of any weapon requires anyone to achieve a very high level of personal discipline that only comes with supervised practise. If this is done in the environ of a club then this can only be applauded.
Or would the reader prefer the antithesis of this, where someone is taking pot shots at either passers-by, neighbours pets or the local wildlife?
paraglider1
says...
10:33pm Tue 18 Sep 12
'Weapon' ???? Airguns, rifles and pistols are not weapons. A house brick could be called a 'weapon' if you throw it at someone,,,yet we all live in houses made of bricks !!!
Airgun clubs bring good people together all with the same pasion and interest in a activity that promotes responsible shooting.
onlyonesimongarner says...
7:44am Mon 17 Sep 12