Tomahawk-throwing, air rifles and archery planned at outdoor forest school

A host of outdoor pursuits including tomahawk axe-throwing, air rifle shooting and archery are planned at a forest school site in Rossendale.

Simon Moorhouse is seeking planning permission from Rossendale Council to change the use of industrial land at Meadows Mill on Burnley Road, Bacup, into a site for outdoor education and leisure for adults and children, including those with special needs.

He wants to keep some structures in place and gain permission for a shipping container for an office. The application is partly retrospective because activities have already started, according to planning documents.

Council planning officers are recommending councillors to approve the application with conditions. But Coun Judith Driver (Lab) has called it in for scrutiny by the council’s development committee, over the concerns.

A report for the committee states the land is an irregularly-shaped plot one hectare in size on the banks of the River Irwell. The main part is around 45 metres south of the junction of the A671 Burnley Road and Woodland Terrace, on land identified as part of a green infrastructure network and countryside area.

The report adds: “The land was originally used as a mill pond which has since been filled in. More recently it was a paddock for grazing horses. Planning permission is now sought to use it for outdoor leisure and recreation. This involves a forest school for special needs children and adults, as a venue for birthday parties, and for activities such as archery, air rifle and pistol shooting, and tomahawk throwing.

“Approval is also sought to retain the stable and use it as an ancillary shelter, and to position a small timber structure as a chemical toilet, two shipping containers for an office and store, and an open-sided tent to cover a seating area surrounding a fire pit. The use has already commenced and all of the structures are now on-site except one shipping container.”

Four letters of objection, including two from the same person, have been sent to Rossendale Council. These raise concerns including the visual impact on the area, noise, traffic and parking pressures, and accusations that digging work has harmed, or would continue to harm, trees and nature there.

The objections also allege planning breaches on the land, claiming that it is unsafe to use because it is next to an industrial premises ‘where there are likely to be gas bottles and large amounts of industrial waste’. Also, if this application was approved, it could lead to more development, opponents say.

However, there have also been eight letters of support, saying outdoor activities “would bring significant benefits to the local community and to schools in the area” and stressed there had been no noise problems so far. No digging work or fly-tipping has been done by the current users, supporters said.