Colchester family's four year battle to open a paintball venue (From Essex County Standard)
Get involved: send your pictures, video, news and views by texting ECS to 80360, or email »
Colchester family's four year battle to open a paintball venue
10:56am Thursday 21st March 2013 in News
Colchester family's four year battle to open a paintball venue
WHEN he was made redundant four years ago, Andy Wright decided he would turn his paintballing passion into a full-time career.
Using his payout, the Hythe resident acquired a chunk of land near Layer Marney and set about creating a landscape where teams can arm themselves with paint pellets and go head-to-head.
But none of the conflicts which may take place over the 31 acres of woodland will match the planning battles Andy, 39, and his family have faced.
He said: “Why should it take four years and £30,000 now just to try and build a new site in Colchester?"
He says he must come up with a plan to look after dormice, even though an ecological survey found none on the land, while he has hired consultants to look at the “visual impact” of the proposed facility, on land near the ancient Layer Wood.
After wildlife groups claimed paintballs could harm small animals, he had to submit a document explaining how they are made.
See Thursday's Gazette for the full story.
Comments(6)
The Stinker Returns
says...
1:08pm Thu 21 Mar 13
PROOFREADER
says...
3:16pm Thu 21 Mar 13
PROOFREADER
says...
3:16pm Thu 21 Mar 13
Boris
says...
3:25pm Thu 21 Mar 13
PROOFREADER wrote:Layer Marney is in Colchester Borough, which means it is in Colchester, in that sense.
New site in Colchester? I thought the site was at Layer Marney. Even the website of Layer Marney Tower states near Colchester.
Boris
says...
1:12am Fri 22 Mar 13
Anyway, farm land has been rising steadily in value in recent years, so if he can't get planning permission on it, he should be able to sell it at a profit.
catflap1 says...
12:24pm Thu 21 Mar 13
Because you're not related to any of the councillors ...........