A popular Perthshire hotel has come under fire from various groups and individuals over proposals to let people blast clay pigeons out of the sky for over six months every year.
Managers at Crieff Hydro Hotel want to let visitors shoot flying targets with shotguns at a site north of the town somewhere “in the region of 200 days a year”.
But over a dozen residents have asked the council to reject their application to form a range and shelter building.
The hotel’s agents Denholm Partnership Architects say staff would only arrange shoots east of Hosh up until 5pm, but locals say the limited number of shoots that already take place in the area are disruptive enough and allowing any more would be “a disaster for the area”.
East Strathearn Community Council has tabled its own objection to the proposal saying while it did not have the chance to conduct a proper survey of locals over the summer, several residents had contacted its members to express their concerns.
Chair Maureen Beaumont has told PKC: “Those residents who have contacted me have cited a history of previous noise disturbance and detrimental impact on their residential amenity in a rural environment.
“They are very fearful that if this application is granted, the impacts will be more negative and will affect their daily lives even more than previously.”
Separately Iain Neilson, chairman of the Hosh Residents Association, has told PKC: “Residents find the current level of noise under the current arrangements unacceptable and the possibility of the impact of the activity increasing up to 200 days [would be] a disaster for the area, for the residents, visitors and holidaymakers.”
Even the session clerk of the Mid Strathearn Church of Scotland has chipped in, saying the shooting as proposed at the moment could end up disrupting Sunday services being held locally.
Sheena Crawford said: “We have concerns that the noise would be such that it would be heard within the Monzie Church building.
“We would therefore ask that the timings be altered to prevent shooting taking place before 1pm on Sunday.”
Strathearn councillor Stewart Donaldson said this week he would be asking the council’s planning and environmental health officers about what powers they have to control the amount of noise coming from organised shoots and reporting answers back to residents.
He told the PA: “I’m aware that there are a number of local concerns, and this application is drawing rather a lot of questions and opposition locally.
“Clearly the issue of contention here relates to noise. I have contacted planning and environmental health officers to ask several questions.
“I very much want to encourage the development of local tourism, but that does not mean the concerns and worries of local residents in rural areas can be ignored.
“A balance has to be struck, and I believe that the questions I have raised are valid, and need to be addressed.”
In a supporting statement Crieff Hydro Hotel says the proposal would provide “an economic benefit to the area and local community in terms of employment of three people” if it is passed.
The application awaits a decision from Perth and Kinross Council.
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