Air rifle club future uncertain as council refuse retrospective planning

An application had been submitted to change the use of land in order to provide an air rifle range, complete with an erection of a range compound building at Aldridge Grove in Denner Hill.

Wendover Air Rifle Club, which usually meets on Wednesday evenings and Saturdays, hoped to increase its opening hours to every week night as well as the same hours on Saturday.

The club currently has a membership of 50, and hoped to increase this to 70 if the plans were approved.

The council outlined five reasons why they believed that the proposals should have been rejected.

The first of which related to the erection of a timber building and container, which officers said would have a “detrimental impact on the openness of the Green Belt and result in encroachment into the countryside”.

Secondly, the council outlined concerns about the access for vehicles to the site, in particular the fact that the site “has only limited access by non-car modes of travel.”

The potential impact of the increased noise produced by the guns was also a matter of concern outlined in council documents.

The council said: “The use of the land as an air rifle range, and the associated activity, introduces noise and disturbance into what was hitherto a quiet and tranquil area of the countryside, to the detriment of the amenities of nearby residents and users of the wider area in general.”

Given the sites location in the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, concerns were also raised about the impact the development would have on the surrounding area. The concerns said: “The container, portable toilet and fencing fail to achieve the high standard of design, materials and appearance which are expected within the Chilterns AONB.”

The last of the concerns surrounded the impact on which the club would have on the nearby wildlife.

It is not currently known how the decision will affect the club but they have been approached for a response to the decision.