Alarm over plan to sell firearms from house

‘INAPPROPRIATE’ PROPOSAL HAS DRAWN SCORES OF OBJECTIONS

- By GARETH LIGHTFOOT

A PLAN to sell firearms and ammunition from a suburban home has drawn scores of objections and “perplexed” councillors.

Stockton Council was asked for planning permission to use a house on Portchester Close, Ingleby Barwick, to sell firearms and ammunition. A reception room would be used as a “secured sales area” to meet customers and collect goods under the proposals, and customers would have to show evidence of membership of shooting clubs, or firearm or shotgun certificates.

If approved, it would serve a maximum of two to three customers a day from a property covered by security cameras and a 24-hour alarm system. The business would sell firearms between 10am and 6pm Monday to Saturday, “by prearranged appointment only to persons approved by the Police Licensing Authority, and not to the general public”, according to the plans.

The proposal for The Rings area, attracted 52 comments in objection, 29 in support, since it was received in June 2023. The council’s planning committee discussed the plan at its meeting at Dunedin House, Thornaby on Wednesday, July 6.