A controversial shooting lodge on the edge of Wiveliscombe will be able to keep its helipad following a district council decision.

The Bulland Estate was granted planning permission in July 2018 to turn an agricultural building near the B3227 New Road in Wiveliscombe into a lodge, to be used during the shooting season between October 1 and February 1.

The estate subsequently built a helipad on nearby land, with reports that the basic lodge is now being used as a self-contained luxury hotel.

Somerset West and Taunton Council has now decided the estate can keep the helipad – though restrictions of how and when it can be operated will be enforced.

Concerned residents and councillors spoke about the issue when the council’s planning committee met virtually.

Hamish McCarthy said: “The use of helipads is a great inconvenience to the town. When they are taking off my property is overlooked and loses privacy.”

Emma Quick added: “The report makes no mention of the helicopter flying over the local secondary school and its 900 pupils. This causes disruption to their learning, particularly for those with sensory issues.

“It is not just the visual impact of the helipad – it is the noise and vibration impact of the helicopters flying low over our properties. Just because you can afford to fly and damage the planet, doesn’t mean you should.”

Cllr Dave Mansell, who represents Wiveliscombe, said the offer of the air ambulance using the helipad in emergencies was misleading – and contended the lodge was now being used as a luxury hotel.

He said: “The air ambulance has been called to Wiveliscombe this year but it did not land on the helipad – it landed on the town’s recreation ground, quite easily.

“The lodge is locally referred to as a luxury hotel, which is self-contained and has eight en suite double bedrooms. A retrospective application for this has not yet been submitted.”

Cllr Mark Blaker – who represents the same ward – added: “What we’re dealing with is a history of unreliability in terms of the picture that we’re getting, both as a community and a local authority, of what’s being done on this site.”

Cllr Ian Aldridge said any restrictions on flying times would be ‘a nightmare to enforce’, stating: “If helicopter access is essential for the success of this enterprise, it follows that this enterprise is in the wrong location.”

Despite these reservations, other councillors said it would be better to grant permission to allow some form of control over the number of flights coming to and from the lodge.

Cllr Mark Lithgow argued: “I don’t like the way this has been conducted – there are very unhappy residents and councillors in the area. But if we deny this, we would lose on appeal. If we agree this, we can make this more regulated and control it tighter.”

Cllr Roger Habgood added that approval would result in a ‘significant reduction’ in flights, claiming the numbers would drop by about 50 per cent

After more than an hour of deliberation, the committee agreed to approve the plans on the condition that the helipad could only be used for 28 days during the shooting season – excluding any air ambulance landings – and flights could only occur between 8am and 4pm.

This proposal was approved by a margin of seven votes to five, with one abstention.