THE owner of a clay target shooting business has been ordered to pay more than £2,000 after breaching a noise abatement notice.

Jonathan Charles Marsh, who owns Elton Moor Farm-based JC Marsh Sporting Clays, between Fairfield, Stockton and Long Newton, pleaded guilty to six offences under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 at Teesside Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, May 19.

Stockton Borough Council issued Mr Marsh with a noise abatement notice in March 2012 following complaints received from local residents about the noise from the clay target shooting.

A requirement of the notice was that Mr Marsh should take measures to reduce the noise nuisance to local residents by installing mounds of earth to buffer the noise, known as “earth bunding.” The notice also stated permitted hours of operation and noise levels.

But on September 17 last year, a clay target shooting event took place that exceeded the permitted hours of operation and noise levels. It was also found that Mr Marsh had failed to install the required noise mitigation measures.

In mitigation, Mr Marsh said that at the time of the offences, a charity event was taking place and participants’ eagerness to take part had led to the event going beyond the permitted hours of operation without him realising.

Mr Marsh was fined £1,500 in total for the six offences and ordered to pay a £120 victim surcharge and the Council’s £464.33 costs.

Speaking after the judgement Mr Marsh, who explained the shooting only occurred every other Sunday, said he worked closely with Stockton council and had already completed 'earth bunding' to the east of the site. The shooting area was isolated from residential property. He said: "It's a rural sport in a rural setting. We work with Stockton council as an on-going process and we're looking at installing earth bunding to the west of the site too."

Mr Marsh said the business would operate within the agreed times in future.

Stockton council’s Cabinet Member for Housing and Community Safety, Councillor Steve Nelson, said: “The Council offers a range of support and assistance to local businesses to help them comply with their legal requirements.

“Unfortunately, in this case the defendant did not adhere to the noise abatement notice and had not completed the mitigation measures required to reduce noise levels. The Council has a duty to protect residents from excessive noise where a nuisance arises and that is what we have done here.”