The Green Party has raised concerns over a planning application to create an outdoor shooting range in Bangor, Co Down.

Leader Steven Agnew MLA said he objected the proposals and said lead contamination in the land from the discharged bullets and subsequent pollution of the ecosystem is a real possibility.

He said: "Effectively, we will see the industrialisation of a greenfield site and it will be costly to remove stray bullets and lead contamination will result in a toxic legacy should the gun club move on.

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"Bangor is a largely urban area and we need to protect what green spaces we have. I find it bizarre that this gun club needs new premises given that they already have access to the recently re-vamped, at taxpayers' expense, Council-owned indoor shooting range on Hamilton Road.

"The new outdoor shooting range has been proposed for agricultural lands at Ballymacormick Road. It is a green field site surrounded by residential areas and adjacent land is used for recreation."

(CD/LM)