Three padel courts at The Hotel, The Warwickshire Golf and Country Club, Leek Wootton

What was proposed

The application sought three padel courts with enclosures, floodlighting, landscaping and sustainable drainage, without the originally proposed canopy roof.

“The Hotel, The Warwickshire Golf and Country Club, Warwick Road, Leek Wootton, Warwick, CV35 7QT Installation of 3no. padel courts, with associated enclosure, floodlighting and associated landscaping and SuDs. FOR The Club Company ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------”

“The application seeks permission for the installation of 3no. padel courts, with associated enclosure, floodlighting and associated landscaping and SuDs.”

Officer report

The site and surroundings

The courts would be behind the hotel and leisure facilities at a health and fitness centre beside residential units and a golf course within the Green Belt.

“The proposals are located to the far east of the site, situated behind the hotel and leisure facility. The 3no. padel courts are constructed of visually transparent toughened glass and metal mesh rebound walls, the height of the structure is 3m either side and 4m at each rebound end. The structure is supported by steel posts fixed via a concrete foundation.”

“The application site is accessed off the Warwick Road roundabout on the approach into Leek Wootton. The site is used as a health and fitness centre with adjoined hotel. In the vicinity of the site is a complex of residential units, known as ‘The Hayes’, and a golf course. The site is also washed over by Green Belt.”

Officer report

Earlier planning decisions

Earlier permissions covered the hotel, leisure facilities, bedrooms and related amendments at the site.

“Item 8 / Page 2 W/98/0863 - Conversion of The Hayes to 11 flats with car parking, erection of a two-storey leisure centre and a two storey 58-bedroom block with parking and access roads - Granted by Secretary of State on 29/09/1999. W/06/1483 - Extension to "Dormy House" and club lobby - Granted on 02/11/2006.”

“W/25/0641 - Variation of Condition 2 (approved plans) and removal of Condition 3 (BREEAM) of planning permission ref: W/22/0562 (Erection of two-storey extension to existing hotel to provide an additional 26no. bedrooms and erection of single-storey extension to provide hotel breakfast room) to allow amendments to omit breakfast room and reduction in glazed link - Granted on 11/07/2025.”

Officer report

Why officers supported it

Officers considered the amended courts appropriate in the Green Belt, acceptable in design, and unlikely to harm amenity, highways, parking, trees or drainage.

“ASSESSMENT Whether the proposal constitutes appropriate development in the Green Belt and, if not, whether there are any very special circumstances which would outweigh the harm by reason of inappropriateness and any other harm identified As the application site lies within the West Midlands Green Belt, the proposal must be assessed against Policy DS18 of the Local Plan.”

“Objections have been raised regarding the impact on the adjacent golf course in terms of noise and disturbance. Whilst these concerns are noted, Officers do not consider the proposals to cause any material harm in that regard. SUMMARY/CONCLUSION It is considered that the development would constitute appropriate development in the Green Belt. The proposal is also considered to create no additional harm to the amenity of neighbouring uses.”

Officer report

Responses from consultees and residents

Consultees raised no objections subject to conditions or a legal agreement, while residents raised concerns about noise, lighting, wildlife, drainage and the golf course.

“WDC Environmental Health: No objection, subject to condition.”

“- Noise Impact - Light pollution from the proposed courts - Impacts on wildlife - Impact on adjacent golf course - Design and layout - Impact on sustainable drainage and surface water management - Lack of community engagement…”

Officer report

Who spoke at the meeting

An objector addressed the committee about the application.

Members considered the application

Members considered the report, presentation, addendum and representations before a motion to grant permission was proposed and seconded.

“An addendum circulated prior to the meeting advised of the reason for the application being brought to the Committee as this was omitted in the report.”

“Following consideration of the report, presentation, information contained in the addendum, and the representations made at the meeting, it was proposed by Councillor B Gifford and seconded by Councillor Kennedy that the application should be granted.”

Minutes

The committee’s decision

The committee granted permission subject to conditions covering timing, approved plans, drainage, tree protection, surface water measures and operating hours.

“(4) prior to the commencement of the development hereby approved (including all preparatory work), the tree protection measures described in the Arboricultural Method Statement Report from Weddles dated 01/08/2025, and the appended Tree Protection Plan drawing number 2019 - 005, together referred to as the scheme of protection, shall be implemented in accordance with the approved details.”

“(5) the development permitted shall be carried out strictly in accordance with the approved Surface Water Strategy (revision 01, dated November 2025) and in particular the following mitigation measures detailed within the Surface Water Strategy: • limit the discharge rate generated by all rainfall events up to and including the 100 year plus 40% (allowance for climate change) critical rain storm to 1 l/s for the development; and • provide provision of surface water…”

Minutes