Hampshire aristocrat aims to shoot down noise abatement order handed out after game shooting on his land

AN ARISTOCRAT with family links to Sir Francis Drake is aiming to overturn a noise abatement notice after appearing in court.
William Tyrwhitt-Drake at Portsmouth Magistrates' CourtWilliam Tyrwhitt-Drake at Portsmouth Magistrates' Court
William Tyrwhitt-Drake at Portsmouth Magistrates' Court

William Tyrwhitt-Drake, owner of the 2,500-acre Bereleigh House estate in East Meon, is fighting the order at Portsmouth Magistrates' Court after complaints of '˜nuisance' noise levels caused by gun shots from game and clay shooting.

The notice relates to shooting between July 2016 to January 2017 at the idyllic location, set in the South Downs National Park.

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Nobleman Mr Tyrwhitt-Drake's links to the highest echelons of British society saw English sea captain Sir Francis Drake being godfather to his ancestor, Richard Drake, who was an equerry to the court of Queen Elizabeth in the late sixteenth century.

The landowner hosts a variety of country sports including game and clay shooting for up to three days a week over a six-month season throughout the year as city dwellers and country lovers escape to the rural retreat to take in leisure pursuits.

The court heard from noise acoustic expert Peter Rogers who said there was a disturbance to the '˜tranquil environment' after undertaking 15 visits to the site when game and clay shooting was taking place.

He said: '˜It is important to consider whether the impact is intolerable and causes considerable disruption to what people endure.

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'˜People don't know when the shooting will start or stop and when they will have to stop what they are doing and go inside.

'˜The level of intrusion is substantial and this is my view following my 25 years experience carrying out sound measurements.'

He added: '˜To give an example, planning permission would not normally be granted at the level of noise from the gun shooting. I conclude there is a nuisance in my opinion.'

Mr Rogers' view differed to Mr Tyrwhitt-Drake's own sound expert John Grant who concluded the noise was within reasonable noise levels.

The case has been brought by Charles Gillies O'Bryan-Tear

(Proceeding)