Airsoft sites and planning permission

sliabh

I am curious about the legal situation regarding airsoft sites and planning permission. Do sites in Ireland need permission, if so, what type? What sort of zoning should land have if you want to use it for a site? And is there provision for a temporarily site, lets say for a once off (or once a year) game?

Anyone got a good idea what the situation is here?

MagicIRL

Probally best to PM any of the Site owners in the Airsoft Site subforum. They have first hand experience with setting up and running a site. They would have all the answers. Im sure the IAA could also help if you emailed them.

Airsoft Reloded

You do need a change of use, averagely every type of zonage has a considered "entertainment/recreation" clause. Try to avoid agricultural areas though, they're nearly impossible to get a change of use on (especially in the fingal county council area).

There is no provision for a temporary airsoft event, there is the class 33 & 37 exemptions which are in the national development plan 2001. 33 is for a sports club but doesn't cover airsoft (but it should according to the text) and 37 is for a local event so doesn't cover it either.

Best bet is to find the place your interested in, approach the local council and ask to have a sit down with that areas head planner to see if he/she would allow the use. Staying away from houses and rural roads is a good start though.

Hope this helps

sliabh

Thanks for that. I was just curious because of something I saw earlier today (see below). I knew the subject had been touched on a few times here on boards, but I didn't remember any detailed information being given.

I am sorry to say I am not about to open a site. Instead I spotted something being discussed on an Austrian airsoft forum about an event, "Red Harvest", which will happen in Belgium at the end of the month.

What caught my eye is that they are running the event in a holiday village (Corsendonk Village)



For the weekend the place gets taken over by airsofters. They will stay in the houses at night, but play around them during the day. The site has been enhanced with bunkers, trenches etc (photos here).

It looked like an interesting way of getting an instant CQB/urban site for a temporary event. But I was thinking that apart from the permission and insurance issues, planning would be a problem in Ireland, so I thought I would ask what the situation is.

One can dream...

cheecch251

Wow that looks like a great idea,i was thinking about this myself. For arguments sake lets asume some one had insurance and permission, there are loads of "Ghost" housing estates around the country. With a good clear out of rubble and some saftey stuff done on them it would be a great use for them and Im sure the developers wouldnt mind the revenue that would come from it.

If they where converted to a purpose built airsoft site i'm sure we wouldnt mind paying that bit extra for the experience. Some of the buildings couldbe set aside for billeting players for weekend long events, facilites for the players (no more p***ing in the bushes) and admin. I know there is not a chance it will ever happen but i think it would be great place to hold urban combat style milsim events.

sliabh

This is all idle dreaming but...

The problem with "Ghost estates" are they are mostly unfinished so any permission and insurance costs would be more difficult to sort out - general public running around building materials, ground openings etc?

With a holiday village, it is complete, there is onsite accomodation, the owner is setup and looking to rent for short periods, and importantly many of them are in more secluded locations with pretty landscaping which means there is less of a problem with exposing the public to large numbers of people running around with guns :-)

cheecch251

as i said it would require alot of work to convert them first before insurance and things could be sought and the pretty things like landscape grounds would develop in time (I hear a flower bed is great spot for sniper to hide:D soberts i would love to see you with some posies woven into your ghillie:D) .As for keeping the public away alot of these ghost estates are in the middle of nowhere well away from populated areas.

Also there are alot of hotels going to the wall , again with a bit of hard graft on the site operators part, they could be used a'la the office block style.

sliabh

Airsoft Reloded wrote: »

You do need a change of use, averagely every type of zonage has a considered "entertainment/recreation" clause. Try to avoid agricultural areas though, they're nearly impossible to get a change of use on (especially in the fingal county council area).

There is no provision for a temporary airsoft event, there is the class 33 & 37 exemptions which are in the national development plan 2001. 33 is for a sports club but doesn't cover airsoft (but it should according to the text) and 37 is for a local event so doesn't cover it either.

Hope this helps

Do you have any links to the relevent guidelines/legislation? I'd be interested in reading up on this stuff.

Airsoft Reloded

sliabh wrote: »

Do you have any links to the relevent guidelines/legislation? I'd be interested in reading up on this stuff.

There ya go; http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2001/en/si/0600.html enjoy

sliabh

Airsoft Reloded wrote: »

There ya go; http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2001/en/si/0600.html enjoy

Ta for that. Great cure for insomnia. I will take a look over the weekend. I have a pair of friends who are planners too. I might mention it the next time we are in a pub together.

Airsoft Reloded

sliabh wrote: »

Ta for that. Great cure for insomnia. I will take a look over the weekend. I have a pair of friends who are planners too. I might mention it the next time we are in a pub together.

Good man, the more knowledge floating around the easier people will find it to open sites.