Govt plans Waterport car park and shooting range

The Gibraltar Government has submitted plans for a new car park at Waterport Road that will also accommodate a target shooting range.

The site, next to the industrial park, will have 327 car parking spaces.

The plans submitted to the Town Planning are for guidance only as approval is not a requirement for Government projects.

The target shooting range clubhouse will contain a control room, spectators gallery, an external 50metre shooting range, an air rifle range, a 25 yards shooting range, a target room, a final and an Olympic final changing room, toilet facilities, a workshop, armoury, locker room, kitchen, lounge and relaxation area.

Last July, the Development and Planning Commission discussed the Government’s submitted plans for a shooting range to the top of the Midtown Car Park.

During the meeting some members expressed their surprise, one was ‘speechless’ at the news and another expressed their concern that there will be live ammunition held onsite and that members of the public will have to share facilities such as a lift with someone who is carrying a weapon and live ammunition.

However, the latter concern is not a DPC issue and therefore irrelevant to the discussion the commission was having.

DPC members were told at the meeting that due to space limitations in Gibraltar the number of locations a shooting range could be situated is low.

A previous site considered for the range was Nun’s Well, but due to its proximity to the mosque and a children’s playground it was deemed unsuitable.