Whats Planning Permission is needed for Clay Pigeon Shooting Facility

razor8

Hi I’m new to this section of boards

A friend has asked me to find out the following

They are about to receive some traps as part of a grant from leader but in order to pursue it they have been asked to get planning permission by the guy handling the grant application

They are part of a club but have no existing facilities. What planning permission is needed and what do they apply under?

A Country Voice

Hiya,
If they're going to build a clubhouse or structures they would need planning permission.
Of course they'd need land to build it on first and if they don't own the land they'd need the owners permission to apply for the planning permission.

The planning permission that they would need will depend on what they want to do.
If you want to send me over a pm I could give you some pointers.

ACV

razor8

Hi ACV

There's no proposed clubhouse or buildings. Two mobile huts for standing in out of the rain exist and the traps are mobile so the same site might not be used all the time. The grant is for the traps only

What i was wondering is if you need planning permission or something else to shoot at a site and if so what do you apply under. I cant find anything on http://www.environ.ie/ website

A Country Voice

Hi Razor

Normally planning permission would pertain to a fixed site, ie Planning to build a house on site x, or to build a factory on site y.
If there's no fixed site and this is mobile and will be just moving around to various farmers fields I don't see what planning application could be made.

A change of use application could be made to change the use of agricultural land to recreational use, but then that wouldn't be temporary and another application would then have to be made to change it back afterwards. Thats not a runner.


This link is to the kerry county council scale of fees for the various classes of development, its the same throughout the country). The classes of development are listed in column 1 and temporary use of land as a clay pigeon shooting range isn't covered.

http://www.kerrycoco.ie/en/allservices/planning/howtoapply/thefile,373,en.pdf

If your friend was to move onto one site permanently and provide a clay pigeon shooting range, permission would be required for the change of use of the land from whatever its current use, (usually agriculture), to the recreational use (clay pigeon shooting).
Its not exempt development under class 33(c) of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 as firearms are specifically listed.
http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2001/en/si/0600.html#part2

I don't see any requirement for planning permission here as its a temporary thing though.

If this is a business that will be operating I'd suggest a chat with the local super to find out his/her requirements. Also I'd say insurance for such a thing might be fairly expensive.

I might have rambled a bit above but if theres any further advice I can give let me know.

ACV

razor8

I have just spoken to someone in planning

They said you must apply through normal channel and include

• site plan outlining car parking and any temporary or mobile structures
• types of firearms used and the distance they shoot in order to protect public, dwellings livestock
• number of people involved
• recorded monuments in area
• map of land to be used and charge of €10 per 0.1 hectare
• must publish ad and erect site notice at each proposed site

thanks for you help, it looks like they need to apply under class 33 from the document you attached

A Country Voice

Hi Razor,
A planning application would only be possible if they stick to a site though, or stick to multiple sites.

If they stick to a site or sites they would need to apply for a change of use alright for each site.

If its not a case that they stick to one site, (or multiple sites), I dont think they need planning as it would be only temporary use for recreational purposes.

It would be a class 13 development attracting an application fee of 10euro per 0.1 hectare of site area alright.
Whereabouts in the country are ye? I could give ye a hand if ye want

ACV

Cass

Whatever about the buildings or temp. buildings did you ask about a shooting range or clay pigeon range?

Clay pigeon shooting is not classified as target shooting so does not require the same permissions as a normal range that caters for pistols, rifles, etc.

razor8

i said clay pidgeon, she seems very unsure on the phone and when i pushed her on it she waffles about health and safety and said there were no exemptions once firearms were involved

could she be wrong?

A Country Voice

razor8 wrote: »

i said clay pidgeon, she seems very unsure on the phone and when i pushed her on it she waffles about health and safety and said there were no exemptions once firearms were involved

could she be wrong?

Hi Razor,
She could be wrong.
There are no exemptions once a development of a recreational space for firearms are involved.
The key question in your friends case is whether or not a development will go ahead.

If its a temporary, irregular thing where a few lads meet up and shoot a few clays in someones field and nothing is built, and its not open to the public, (nobody is charged admission to get in), then there wouldnt be any development and hence no requirement for planning permission.

If your friends want to build anything, or want to use a certain field on a more regular basis as a clay pigeon range and want to put in parking or a new entrance, or want to do this commercially and charge people to come and shoot clays or to watch, then a change of use application would need to be submitted as class 13 development.

The question is what exactly is it your friend wants to do?

Who owns the land? Will they decide to stick with just 1 field? or will it be moving around to different friends farms? Will there be a commercial element to this? public admitted?
If you explain the details a bit more we could be a bit more definite in whether planning would be needed, and if so what type of application.
From what you said about a grant from leader I'm thinknig a commercial enterprise?

maybe not
ACV