Polowood Shooting Ground, St Mary's Farm, Falmer, East Sussex, BN1 9PN

a Clay Pigeon Shoot and other sporting/leisure activities including archery, air rifles and axe throwing

Authority: South Downs
Appeal type: ldc · Lawful Development Certificate
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: leisure-sport · Other minor developments
Inspector: Willows P

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

Whether the Authority's decision was well-founded, turning on whether the evidence shows on the balance of probability that the use as described in the application form, taking place for 200 days per year, would have been lawful at the time of the application

What decided it

The appellant failed to demonstrate on the balance of probability that the site operated for 200 days per year continuously over a 10-year period, with the evidence showing much lower intensity of use in earlier years and only reaching 200+ days from 2019 onwards.

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