Two covered padel courts at Sandyacres Sports And Social Club, Ashford

What is proposed

The application seeks two padel courts with all-weather coverings and lighting, operating between 07:30 and 22:00.

“Proposal 5. The application seeks planning permission for the construction of two padel courts. The courts would have an all-weather covering and lighting.”

“The padel courts are proposed to operate between 07:30 and 22:00. The associated lighting would be used seasonally, with lighting proposed between 07:30 and 08:30 throughout the year, between 16:00 and 22:00 during the winter months, and between 21:00 and 22:00 during the summer months.”

Officer report

The site and surroundings

The courts would occupy disused tennis courts at an established sports club, within a locally designated landscape area near the North Downs National Landscape.

“The application site specifically relates to the area of the disused tennis courts to the northwest of the club building.”

“The site is within the locally designated Hothfield Heathy Farmlands Landscape Areas. The boundary of the North Downs National Landscape lies to the north of the site.”

Officer report

Planning history

The officer report states that there is no relevant planning history for the application.

“There is no relevant planning history for the application.”

Officer report

What officers recommended

Officers recommended approval because the proposal would improve sports facilities without unacceptable harm to visual, residential, highway or ecological interests, subject to conditions.

“Policy COM2 of the Ashford Local Plan 2030 relates to recreation, sport, play and open spaces. The policy seeks to support the delivery of recreation, sport, play and open space provision, including through new facilities and the enhancement of existing facilities where this would improve their quality, availability and/or accessibility.”

“I am therefore satisfied that the principle of providing additional sporting facilities within this part of the site is acceptable. The proposal would also be compatible with the wider established recreational and community use of the site. The acceptability of the development is therefore subject to the detailed site-specific considerations, including its effect on visual amenity, residential amenity, highway safety and any other relevant technical matters.”

Officer report

Main effects considered

Officers considered the principle, visual amenity, residential amenity, highway safety and biodiversity, including noise and lighting controls.

“On that basis, whilst the submitted information is sufficient to indicate that the proposal could be lit without unacceptable light spill beyond the immediate court area, it is necessary to secure full details of the external lighting by condition before the lighting is installed. This would ensure that the final lighting arrangement accords with the submitted light spill principles and would safeguard biodiversity, visual amenity and residential amenity.”

Officer report

Consultation responses

Environmental Protection raised no objection subject to acoustic and lighting conditions, while the parish council objected to light pollution and uncertainty about hours.

“ABC Environmental Protection – no objection subject to conditions in relation to acoustic report and lighting.”

“Light pollution o [Officer note: the lighting would be minimal, directed downwards towards the padel courts, with the submitted light spill diagrams confirming very little light spill to the wider area]. • Uncertainty around hours of use o [Officer note: these have since been clarified by the Agent within the Supporting Statement].”

Officer report

Residents’ views

Seventeen neighbour letters were sent, with one supporting and one objecting; the objection cited noise, intensified use, lighting, traffic, parking and overdevelopment.

“Neighbours – 17 neighbour letters were sent, with 1 letter of support and 1 letter of objection received.”

“The letter of objection raised the following matters: • Noise impacts • Intensification of use • Light pollution • Increased traffic/parking • Overdevelopment…”

Officer report

Who spoke

The minutes record advice from the Team Leader Planning Applications that the proposal would not harm the Kent Downs National Landscape setting.

The committee’s decision

The committee granted planning permission subject to delegated authority, planning conditions and notes, including acoustic and lighting requirements.

“Grant Planning Permission Subject to planning conditions and notes: A With delegated authority to the Head of Development Management and Enforcement to add, amend or remove planning obligations and/or planning conditions as they see fit to secure the required mitigation and any associated issues relating thereto; and, B Subject to planning conditions and notes, including those dealing with the subject matters identified below, (but not limited to that list) and those…”

“Standard time condition (3 years) 2. Development carried out in accordance with the approved plans 3. Development to be carried out in accordance with the approved materials 4. Submission of an acoustic report prior to the commencement of development 5. Lighting hours of operation restriction as proposed by the applicant 6. Lighting Design Details…”

Minutes