Six padel tennis courts at Larwood Park Pavilion, Kirkby-in-Ashfield

What was proposed

The application proposed a portal-frame building with six padel courts, seating, a café, parking changes, a grass bund and planting.

“The Application This is an application that seeks planning consent for the construction of a portal frame building to accommodate six padel tennis courts, with associated seating areas and a café. The proposal also includes alterations to the existing parking provision, the installation of a grass bund, and planting.”

Officer report

The site and surroundings

The site forms part of Larwood Park, beside the clubhouse and sports pitches, with residential development to the north and south and mature trees to the west.

“The application site forms part of the wider Larwood Park development, sited within the settlement of Kirkby in Ashfield, to the south of the A38. The wider Larwood Park scheme provided for 225 new dwellings, associated green infrastructure, and a centre for community and sport, which comprises a clubhouse pavilion, two rugby pitches, a cricket pitch and parking.”

“Existing residential development lies directly to the north and south of the site on Twickenham Road, Sutton Road and Lytham Road. Mature tree planting lies to the west, with Sutton Road and further residential development sited beyond.”

Officer report

What officers recommended

Officers recommended permission subject to conditions and changing the existing legal agreement to remove the requirement for a multi-use games area.

“Overall, this proposal secures the provision of a high-quality, state of the art sports facility which will benefit local sports clubs and community groups in years to come, in line with local and national planning policies and strategies. The development is therefore considered acceptable, subject to conditions and a deed of variation to the existing Section 106 agreement to remove the requirement for a MUGA.”

“Recommendation: Grant planning permission subject to conditions and a deed of variation to the existing Section 106 agreement.”

Officer report

Why officers supported it

Officers considered the facility acceptable because it would support community sport, have negligible highway effects, and manage residential, biodiversity and flooding impacts through conditions.

“The type of development proposed has the potential to impact on the amenity of nearby residents, however it is considered that this can be adequately overcome through the imposition of planning conditions. The potential impact on highway safety and capacity has been assessed and considered to be negligible. Matters pertaining to biodiversity and flooding have also been assessed and considered acceptable.”

Officer report

What consultees and residents said

There were 19 objections and 48 expressions of support; consultees generally raised no objections, subject to conditions on matters including ecology, noise, lighting, landscaping and access.

“ADC Environmental Health: A noise survey has been submitted in support of the application. In the absence of a padel-specific assessment methodology, predicted noise emissions have been benchmarked against the BS 8233:2014 criteria for general and serious annoyance, with a recommended threshold of 50dB LAeq, 16 hours, consistent with Sport England guidance for all weather pitches.”

“No significant concerns are raised in respect of lighting, and a condition is recommended with regard to the installation of external lighting scheme. There are no objections on contaminated land grounds.”

Officer report

Residents’ concerns

Objectors cited wildlife loss, traffic, parking, pollution, visual impact, loss of light, noise, privacy and the availability of similar facilities elsewhere.

“Environmental impact o Loss of wildlife – bats & birds • Highway impacts o Increased traffic o On-street parking o Increase air pollution o Parking permits for locals should be considered • Impact residential amenity o Visually detrimental o Loss of light o Massing impact o Loss of view o Increase noise - increased sound insulation required; amplified music internally o Devalue properties o Encroachment of cctv on residential properties • Proposed tree planting will block…”

Officer report

Who spoke

An objector addressed the committee, and members were offered the opportunity to clarify points raised.

The committee discussion

Late objections concerned the noise assessment, ventilation, alternative locations and impacts including parking, traffic, massing, light, privacy, flooding and the multi-use games area.

“One objection raised concerns with the validity of the noise report given it was not ‘Padel Specific’. This was addressed within the Environmental Health Officers comments within the report. Any new ventilation equipment would require consent if proposed.”

“Both objections raised that other similar facilities are not near residential properties. Considering alternative locations was not relevant in the decision making process and the Council were required to consider the suitability of the scheme before them. Matters relating to parking and traffic flows, massing, loss of light, loss of privacy, flooding, and the loss of the proposed MUGA were addressed within the report.”

Minutes

The vote

The motion for conditional consent was moved and seconded in accordance with the officer recommendation.

“It was moved and seconded that conditional consent be granted, as per the officer’s recommendation contained in the report.”

Minutes