A Lakenheath field can be used to house 15,000 pheasants as a proposal has been deemed lawful without the need for planning permission. 

An application for a lawful development certificate for the use of grazing of pheasants in a rotational period on land west of Sandy Drove in Lakenheath was submitted to West Suffolk Council in September. 

The applicant, Mr Joe Bussey, said the pheasants would be on the land on a "rotational basis". 

The site would accommodate up to 15,000 grazing birds and no features would be added to the site, with pheasants roosting on the ground when in captivity.

The 1.64 HA site is part of a wider agricultural site close to the perimeter of RAF Lakenheath. 

The wider agricultural field is currently used to store material, hay and machinery, along with livestock.

West Suffolk Council officers issued a Certificate of Proposed Lawful Use or Development for the plans. 

They found the proposal would have been lawful, as it did not qualify as a "development" and did not need planning permission.