Padel and pickleball centre at 30 White House Road, Ipswich

What was proposed

Former warehouses would become a leisure facility with padel and pickleball courts, changing rooms, a gym, games room, reception and covered parking.

“Proposal 1.1. The change of use of former warehouse buildings (B8 use class) to leisure use (E(d) use class) involving internal alterations to create courts for padel and pickleball, plus changing facilities and reception area, and covered car parking. It should be noted that 2no. pairs of padel courts are currently operational within warehouse 01, introducing a retrospective component alongside the proposed (approx. 500sq.m of area). 1.3.”

“The gym is proposed to serve the adjacent offices of SEH French (located in the Offices within the blue edged area in the site location plan) who are seeking to expand their employee numbers by approximately 20 staff at the loss of their current workplace gym (owing to the need to use that existing gym floorspace for the new staff). The leisure facility would have a total area of 2,478sq.m. Background 2.1.”

Officer report

What officers recommended

Officers recommended refusal because the scheme would lose protected employment use and direct leisure activity to an out-of-centre location.

“Officers note that the proposed use would provide jobs as sought after by policy CS13 however, the employment figure suggested would not be significant when considered in the context of the wider employment associated with storage or distribution uses (not necessarily directly on site but employed within the wider distribution network reliant upon such a facility). 5.5.”

“Policy DM31 (Town Centre Uses Outside the Central Shopping Area) requires that town centre uses (including leisure uses) should be considered for the town centre (outside of shopping areas) before edge or out of centre locations in interest of growing the vibrancy and vitality of the town centre, and avoiding less sustainable peripheral town centre uses which rely upon private motor vehicles for access.”

Officer report

Consultation and objections

The highway authority raised no objection subject to parking conditions, fire and rescue gave standing advice, and no representation letters were received.

“The implementation of the 2007 permission’s parking provision is a little uncertain as later Officer reports indicate the warehouses remained warehouses. However, recent communications from the Applicant indicate the spaces to be used for parking only currently. The 2021 permission is to the front of the premises only (and within that application, the warehouses are marked as in industrial and warehouse uses). Consultations 3.1.”

“Representations No letters of representation have been received. Policy 4.1. National Planning Policy National Planning Policy Framework (2024) National Planning Practice Guidance…”

Officer report

Who spoke

The agent supported the proposal as a community sports facility using redundant sheds, creating social value and offering employment and local access.

What members discussed

Members considered local sports demand, comparable leisure schemes, policy flexibility, temporary permission, access arrangements, employment benefits and the scale of the proposal.

“Councillor Jones acknowledged the policy concerns raised by Officers, but noted the presence of comparable leisure uses located on industrial estates elsewhere in Ipswich. Councillor Jones referred to an appeal decision relating to a gym use on the Boss Hall Industrial Estate (IP/19/00896/FUL), which had been refused in 2020 on similar policy grounds but subsequently allowed on appeal.”

“The Planning Officer confirmed that the existing padel courts were operating without planning permission. With regards to temporary permission, this was generally used to allow limited testing of proposals where policy compliance could not be fully assessed.”

Minutes

The committee’s decision

The committee approved the application with conditions controlling drawings, opening hours, use, reversion to B8, access, parking, electric vehicles, cycles and refuse.

“The Development Management Team Leader advised that if the Committee was minded to approve the application, a cessation condition could be imposed that would return the use back to B8 use, together with a condition to ensure that this particular use be tied to a specific Use Class, and suggested that the setting of appropriate conditions, including cycle and refuse storage, and hours of operation be delegated to Officers.”

“Development to be in accordance with approved drawings. Hours of opening (06:00hrs to 23:00hrs, 7 days p/week). Restrictive Use condition (i.e. E(d) only) 4. Cessation of use, return to B8 condition. Pre-occupation condition (non-retrospective part) of the delivery of the ramp. Pre-occupation condition of delivery of parking / EV / cycles / disabled parking etc. Pre-occupation condition of refuse provision.”

Minutes