A LOCAL farmer has reduced his planning application to hold clay pigeon shooting events from 120 days to 56 days a year - following an outcry from local residents.

Clive Pritchard, of the Keepers Lodge Farm in Llanishen, has been holding clay pigeon shooting events for 28 days a year for the past 25 years.

He told members of Trellech United Communi-ty Council at last week's meeting that farming was a very tough occupation and he was looking for additional ways in which he could diversify.

Mr Pritchard explained that the farming industry is in decline and that profits are very hard to ach-ieve, and added that the government are encouraging farmers like him to diversify into tourism and leisure activities.

Mr Pritchard said: "I understand there has been some opposition to the planning application which is to increase our clay shooting events from 28 days to 120 days.

"CIay pigeon shooting is a growing sport with an ever-increasing need for new areas to shoot.

"Our aim is to meet these needs and also hope to cater for the needs of disabled people who wish to shoot."

He added: "But, in the light of reports appearing in the Free Press last month and my own consultation with local people, I've reduced this application to 56 days.

"We are very understanding of the local residents feeling towards noise and disturbance and in an attempt to alleviate any worries for the residents, we are making every effort to position the shooting to limit the problems of sound.

"We hope to also put in straw and soil bunding, which would help to absorb the sound, but this is also subject to being granted planning permission for it.

"We will also be en-couraging the use of subsonic cartridges on as many shoots as possible, which would further reduce the noise levels."

"I would like to think the local residents and also this community council would be more sympathetic to-wards my planning application in light of these changes."

Local businesses are in support of the shoot as it increases trade into the area and a petition in the local shop supporting the event has been signed by over 96 people.

Councillors raised a number of their concerns with Mr Pritchard who explained that the range would be moved to a new area, which was well away from the public right of way footpaths that weave through his farm.

The councillors decided that they would defer any decision on the application until the amended version was in front of them.